Abstract: A miniature display system uses a reflective micro-display that reflects light perpendicular to the surface of the display to generate an image. Light from an off-axis light source is polarized and reflected by a prism to provide on-axis illumination light for the display. The prism uses total internal reflection and/or a polarizer as a beam splitting surface so as to increase the brightness of the image generated by the display. The optical system provides a virtual image with a large field of view so that the small display system can be used in portable, hand-held or head mounted systems to display a large amount of information to the user.

Abstract: A head mounted display system is shown that is modular such that various components of the system are removably mounted and/or adjustably mounted on a frame that is supported on a user's head. The head mounted display system can thus accommodate different users and components of different configurations. In particular, the display system includes a mirror through which a displayed image is viewed, the position of the mirror being adjustable and the mirror being removable from the frame of the display system. The display system further includes a nose piece that is adjustably mounted on the frame so as to allow the distance between the frame member supporting the display and a nose bridge to be varied. The nose piece is further completely removable from the frame of the display system so as to allow the display system to accommodate a user wearing conventional glasses. The display system also includes removable earphones and removable earphone retainers disposed on the temples of the display system.

Abstract: A miniature microscope is extremely small, fitting in a palm of a user's hand while providing powerful magnification and enhanced brightness so that the details of an object which cannot be resolved by an unaided eye can be easily seen. The microscope includes a housing have a holder for supporting an object to be viewed. At least one light source is position in the housing off-axis with respect to the object to be viewed. A first prism includes a first prism surface for reflecting light from the light source to a beam splitter surface wherein the beam splitter surface reflects light from the first prism surface to the object to be viewed. The beam splitter surface also passes light reflected from the object therethrough to a second prism. The second prism is positioned with respect to the first prism to provide refraction correction.

Abstract: A miniature display system uses a reflective micro-display that reflects light perpendicular to the surface of the display to generate an image. Light from an off-axis light source is polarized and reflected by a prism to provide on-axis illumination light for the display. The prism uses total internal reflection and/or a polarizer as a beam splitting surface so as to increase the brightness of the image generated by the display. The optical system provides a virtual image with a large field of view so that the small display system can be used in portable, hand-held or head mounted systems to display a large amount of information to the user.

Abstract: A speech recognition manager receives representations of one or more words from a speech decoding system and interprets the received words based upon the current context state so as to provide extremely accurate, flexible, extendable and scalable speech recognition and interpretation. The speech recognition manager limits the number of words that the speech decoding system can recognize in a given context state in order to increase the speed and accuracy of the speech recognition process. Whenever the context state changes, the manager loads a new list of words that can be recognized for the new context state into the speech decoding system so that while the speed and accuracy of the speech recognition process is increased, the total grammatical structure recognized can be easily increased as well.

Abstract: A support is shown for an image display system that is to be worn on a user's head. The image display system includes an image generating module with at least one optical element into which a user looks to view a generated image and an electronics module, both of these modules being removably mountable on the support. The support includes a head hugging member having a front portion, a pair of side portions, a top portion and a back portion integrally formed from a material with multidirectional elasticity so that the side, top and back portions conform to and hug the user's head. The support also includes a rigid bill secured to the front portion of the head hugging member so that it extends outwardly from a user's forehead for providing a rigid support onto which the image generating module is mounted.

Abstract: A binocular head mounted display unit utilizing a single display and binocular optical system is shown for projecting an enlarged image of displayed information in the direct line of sight and central field of view of each of the user's eyes, while maintaining the user's peripheral vision free from obstruction to allow the user to selectively focus on the virtual image or not. The binocular optical system directs the user's eyes inward at an angle that is natural for a person viewing an object at a distance that is less than infinity. Further, the binocular optical system automatically compensates for variations in the interpupillary distances of various users, wherein those variations may be as great as one inch. This head mounted display unit is suitable for a variety of applications, including virtual reality applications, as well as a display for a compact portable computer.

Abstract: A head mounted display system is shown having a single optical element. The single optical element has three optical surfaces. An entrance surface receives a video image directly from a display. A reflective surface reflects the video image from the entrance surface to an exit surface wherein the user views the video image directly through the exit surface. The three optical surfaces are shaped to generate a virtual image that is magnified, appears at a distance from the user and substantially free from distortion, astigmatism and chromatic aberrations. The optical element is adjustably mounted on a frame of the head up display system to accommodate users with different interpupillary distances and to vary the apparent distance between the user and virtual image.