Abstract: A stereoscopic image display apparatus having right and left display elements for displaying inputted stereoscopic image signals, right and left displaying optical systems for leading images displayed on the right and left image elements, a setting information element for outputting setting information signals on stereoscopic image display, based on the stereoscopic vision information signals about the inputted imaging distance in synchronization with the stereoscopic image signals, and a control element for controlling image position displayed on the right and left image display elements to at least optical axes of the right and left display optical systems, based on the setting information signals.

Abstract: A real space video signal processing unit generates right and left eye first video signals including corresponding images at different horizontal positions by processing a real space video signal from a single image sensing unit. An image signal generation unit generates right and left eye second image signals including corresponding images at different horizontal positions. A right eye video signal synthesis unit generates a right eye display signal by synthesizing the right eye second image signal with a partial region of the right eye first video signal. A left eye video signal synthesis unit generates a left eye display signal by synthesizing the left eye second image signal with a partial region of the left eye first video signal. These right and left eye display signals are displayed on a video display unit, so that the image sensed by the image sensing unit is fused at finite distance.

Abstract: Rendering is executed under conditions corresponding to the distance of a target object to obtain stereo display data, by preliminarily controlling its conditions such as the position or orientation of two-dimensional image projection planes (A mode). Alternatively, the rendering is executed independently of the distance of the target object, and data thus obtained is subjected to an image conversion process to obtain the stereo display data (B mode).

Abstract: A storage unit stores three-dimensional shape data of a plurality of objects, initial position data of the plurality of objects in a three-dimensional coordinate system, motion data of the plurality of objects in the three-dimensional coordinate system, and position data of first and second viewpoints in the three-dimensional coordinate system. First and second rendering units generate first and second two-dimensional image data obtained by rendering the plurality of objects in the three-dimensional coordinate system from the first and second viewpoints, respectively.

Abstract: An image display apparatus for use in head-mounted image display apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an image display element having a plurality of pixels arrayed in matrix, for displaying images by scanning these pixels with image signals; a pixel shifting means provided so as to divide these image display elements into a plurality of regions in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction of the image signal, for selectively shifting viewing positions of the displayed images in respective regions; and a control means for controlling shifting operation at the viewing positions of the displayed images in corresponding regions of the pixel shifting means, in synchronism with the scanning of the image display elements.

Abstract: A head mounted type display composed of a display device for displaying an optical picture based on inputted picture signal, an ocular optical system for projecting the picture to an eye of the user, a head band, forehead resting section and right- and left-hand side head supporting sections for supporting a body section including the display device and the ocular optical system while being brought into contact with a head section of the user, a vibration device placed on each of the right- and left-hand side head supporting sections for receiving a caution signal to vibrate the vibration device to give a caution to the user. With this arrangement, the head mounted type display apparatus can surely give a caution to the user without affecting a picture and a sound.

Abstract: A visual display apparatus, for example, a head-mounted display apparatus, which enables an image to be observed at a wide field angle and high resolution. The apparatus includes a pair of two-dimensional display devices (4 and 5) disposed with their display surfaces facing each other, and two half-mirrors (6 and 7) which are paired with the display devices (4 and 5) and combined to each other in the shape of a V. The apparatus further includes a concave mirror (8) having a center axis coincident with the center axis of the half-mirrors (6 and 7) combined in a V shape. The two-dimensional display devices (4 and 5) are adapted to display images (11 and 10) each including an overlap region (9) and having an area wider than one half of the image for observation. The images (11 and 10) are combined together into one continuous image by the two half-mirrors (6 and 7) combined in a V shape.

Abstract: A binocular display apparatus includes a left display unit for displaying a left-eye image, a right display unit for displaying a right-eye image, a left designator for designating the position of a left-eye specific area in the display plane of the right display unit, a right designator for designating the position of a right-eye specific area in the display plane of the right display unit based on a correspondence relation with respect to the position of the specific area, an evaluating section for numerically expressing images lying in the specific areas by use of image evaluation parameters, a calculator for calculating a similarity between the left-eye and right-eye images in the specific areas based on the numerically expressed two image evaluation parameters, and a modifier for modifying the right image based on the similarity S calculated by the calculator.

Abstract: An optical angle detection apparatus includes a light source section, a sensor section disposed separately from the light source section through a space, a timing controller, and a calculation processing section. The light source section includes a plurality of LEDs and a plurality of first polarizing plates whose polarizing directions differ from each other by 45.degree. in correspondence with the LEDs. The sensor section includes a lens and a two-dimensional PSD. The timing controller sequentially and periodically turns on the plurality of LEDs.

Abstract: An optical apparatus, e.g. a head-mounted display apparatus, which enables observation of a favorable image by eliminating flare and ghost images caused by unwanted light coming in through the gap between an observer's eyeball and an optical unit of the apparatus. Display light of an electronic image emanating from a liquid crystal display device and outside world light coming in through a liquid crystal shutter (7) are p-polarized light and therefore pass through a polarizing plate (8) and reach an observer's eyeball (1) without any loss. Meanwhile, light that undesirably comes in through the gap between the observer's face and the optical unit is generally natural light and hence unpolarized. Therefore, when the unwanted light passes through the polarizing plate (8) after being reflected from the eyeball (1) or a mirror (3), the light intensity reduces to 1/2.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic image including right-eye and left-eye image display devices displaying right-eye and left-eye images, respectively, right-eye and left-eye magnifying lenses forming enlarged virtual right-eye and left-eye images, respectively, an eye point camera for detecting a point in a sight at which a viewer gazes, a parallax calculating circuit for deriving a parallax of the gazed point, a image shift amount calculating circuit for calculating an amount of image shift in accordance with the parallax, and an image shift circuits for shifting the right-eye and left-eye images horizontally in opposite direction by the same amount such that a distance of convergence with respect to the gazing point is substantially fixed. It is preferable to shift the right-eye and left-eye images such that the distance of convergence becomes substantially equal to a viewing distance from eyes of the viewer to a virtual image plane.

Abstract: An image display apparatus of head mounted type includes first and second liquid crystal display panels for displaying first and second images to be observed by right and left eyes, respectively of a user wearing the image display apparatus, an optical system for forming virtual images of the displayed first and second images such that the virtual images can be seen by the user, a controller for controlling electronically at least one of position, posture, size and shape of the first and second displayed images. The first and second images are smaller than display areas of the first and second liquid crystal display panels. In one embodiment, the controller includes a button for moving horizontally and vertically the displayed images on the display panels and a button for rotating the displayed images.

Abstract: A head-mounted image display apparatus having an exit pupil that is enlarged without causing an increase in the size of a relay optical system or a reduction in the size of a projected image. The head-mounted image display apparatus has an image display device (1) having a display surface for displaying an image, a relay optical system (2) for transmitting the image displayed on the display surface of the image display device (1) to form an image of the display surface, and an ocular optical system (4) for projecting the image transmitted by the relay optical system inside an observer's eyeball as an enlarged image. A numerical aperture (NA) enlarging element is disposed at a position conjugated with the display surface with respect to the relay optical system (2). Thus, pupil alignment is facilitated without causing an increase in the size of the relay optical system (2) or a reduction in the size of the projected image.

Abstract: An image display apparatus, e.g., a head-mounted image display apparatus, which uses a compact optical system and yet has minimal aberrations and a large exit pupil diameter. The image display apparatus has a liquid crystal display device (2), and an ocular lens (3) for projecting an image displayed by the liquid crystal display device (2) on a user's retina. A pair of first and second diffraction gratings (11) and (12) are provided in an optical path lying between the ocular lens (3) and an exit pupil (6) formed by the ocular lens (3). The first and second diffraction gratings (11) and (12) are arranged so that the angle of diffraction caused by the second diffraction grating (12) for each wavelength of the displayed image is approximately coincident with the angle of diffraction caused by the first diffraction grating (11).

Abstract: A head mounted image display apparatus capable of performing a stereoscopical viewing, having first and second image display sections and displaying first and second images each having parallax on these first and second image display sections is disclosed.

Abstract: A small-sized, lightweight and inexpensive visual display apparatus which enables observation of a full-color image at a wide field angle, which is clear and flat as far as the edges thereof, without using a costly element such as a polarizing element. The visual display apparatus has an image display device (4), and an ocular optical system for projecting an image formed by the image display device (4) and for leading the projected image to an observer's eyeball. The image display device (4) has a louver (10) for limiting the viewing angle. The ocular optical system has two semitransparent surfaces (2 and 3). The second semitransparent surface (3) is a curved surface which is concave toward the observer's eyeball side, so that light rays emanating from the image display device (4) first pass through the second semitransparent curved surface (3), and are reflected by the first semitransparent surface (2).

Abstract: A display apparatus of the type that is fitted to the user's head or face, and having a higher resolution in a first region of the display than that of the remaining area of the display, without increasing the size of the display. As an example, an image of the characters "ABC", for example, are generated or received. However, it might be desired that the center character "B", for example, be displayed at a higher resolution than that of the characters "A C". To accomplish this, the original image "ABC" is divided into an image of "A C" and an image of "B". Then, the image of "B" is electrically distorted and formed on a screen such that the image of "B" is larger in size than the image of "A C". An ocular optical system including an optical element effects a second distortion of the image to correct the electrically created distortion.

Abstract: An image display apparatus, e.g., a head-mounted image display apparatus, which uses a compact optical system and yet has minimal aberrations and a large exit pupil diameter. An image displayed on a liquid crystal display device (2) is projected as an enlarged image in a user's eyeball by a convex lens (3). Prism arrays (13 and 14) having the same vertex angle are disposed in parallel to each other between the convex lens (3) and an exit pupil (6) so that the array directions coincide with each other. A parallel beam of light passed through the convex lens (3) has a pupil diameter (a) determined by the numerical aperture of an illumination system (1). The parallel beam first enters the prism array (13) and separates into light beams traveling in four different directions by the prism refracting action. These light beams then enter the prism array (14), which has the same vertex angle as that of the prism array (13). Consequently, the light beams are refracted again to become parallel to each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus designed so that the viewing angle dependence is minimized without causing the displayed image to become unsharp. The liquid crystal display apparatus has a display surface (16) for displaying an image by a plurality of pixels, and a backlight (11) disposed at a side of the apparatus which is reverse to the display surface (16) to allow an approximately parallel light beam, which is approximately normal to the display surface (16), to enter each pixel of the display surface. A microlens array (20) is disposed at the viewing side of the display surface (16), and a diffusing element (21) is disposed in the vicinity of a surface conjugate with the display surface (16) which is formed by the microlens array (20).

Abstract: A display apparatus, which can be mounted on the head portion of a man, includes a two-dimensional display unit for displaying an image. A projection optical system projects the image displayed on the two-dimensional display unit onto the retina of the eyeball of a user. A shutter is arranged in front of the eyeball of the user. A detector detects at least a forward inclination of motions of the head portion of the user. A control unit controls the shutter in accordance with the output from the detector to switch the shutter between a light transmission state and a light shielding state. A housing incorporates and holds the two-dimensional display unit, the projection optical system, the shutter, and the detector to be mountable on the head portion of the user.