JPH04321395A - Visual line coincidence display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the visual line coincidence display device in which natural image pickup method with full of presence is realized without consciousness of a communication conference in the television telephone conference system or the television telephone system. CONSTITUTION:A display screen 101 consists of a half mirror provided with a diffusion plate 102 and an image pickup device 105 is arranged in the same direction as an observer 104 and a projector 106 is arranged in the opposite direction to the observer 104 with respect to the display screen 101. The projection by the arrangement is implemented in a way that a projected light from the projector 106 is formed on the diffusion plate 102 and the observer 104 observes the image formed on the diffusion plate 102. On the other hand, the image pickup is implemented by the image of the observer 104 reflected in the half mirror 103 picked up with the image pickup device 105. then the transmission and reception of the image with coincident visual line is implemented.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a line-of-sight matching display device for image communication with a high sense of realism in a video conference system or a video phone system.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of image communication technology, video teleconferencing systems and video telephone systems have been put into practical use that allow conferences and meetings to be held while viewing the facial image of a remote party.

[0003] By the way, video conference systems and video telephone systems require an imaging and display method that provides a natural and realistic feeling that does not make the user conscious of a teleconference, and that can effectively read facial expressions and the like. A method of capturing images by aligning each other's lines of sight via an image display device such as a CRT is an effective means for realizing a system that is natural and realistic, and that can effectively read facial expressions.

However, in order to achieve line-of-sight alignment, if an imaging device such as a camera is installed in front of an image display device such as a CRT, the camera will block the display screen of the image display device. The system is installed above or next to the image display device. As a result, a face image viewed diagonally from above or from the side is sent to the communication partner, and both parties' eyes are facing an image display device such as a CRT.
Meetings and meetings where people looked at each other's eyes were not being held.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, a line-of-sight matching type display using a half mirror has been conventionally used as a method for installing a camera in the line of sight of the subject without blocking the display screen of the image display device. Imaging devices are known.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a line-of-sight matching type display/imaging device using a half mirror 103. Observer 10
4 is observing the display device 120 through the half mirror 103. At the same time, the observer's face is imaged by the imaging device 105, so the line of sight of the observer 104 is directed toward the imaging device 105, and a face image with the same line of sight is transmitted to the communication partner.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional line-of-sight matching type display/imaging device described above, ■ Since the display device is installed in the same direction as the half mirror, it is difficult to observe the image displayed on the half mirror. If the person performs the action indicated, the display will be blocked. ■ The imaging device is installed in the opposite direction of the half mirror from the viewer, so when the viewer points at the image displayed on the half mirror, a fingerprint is captured and the image is transmitted to the other party's terminal. . For this reason, the observer at the other party's terminal feels a sense of discomfort, which is undesirable from a human interface standpoint. There were problems such as.

The present invention is a line-of-sight display device that solves the human interface problems of the conventional line-of-sight display/imaging device described above and realizes a natural and realistic imaging method that does not make people aware of a teleconference. The purpose is to realize the following.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides an image display device comprising an imaging device, a projection device for projecting an image, and a display screen for forming projection light from the projection device. an imaging device disposed in the same direction as the observer observing the image; a projection device disposed in the opposite direction from the observer; and at least a display screen on the projection device side that is a diffuser or in a light-transmitting state. and a half mirror equipped with a control screen that can control the light reflection state, and is characterized by switching between the imaging state and the projection state by time-division driving.

0010

[Operation] According to the present invention, the basic operation is to capture the image reflected by the half mirror and display it by forming the projected light onto the diffuser plate provided on the half mirror or the control screen in a light scattering state. Further, since the imaging operation and the projection operation can be controlled by the synchronization signal, it is possible to provide imaging and projection in which the observer's line of sight is aligned.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the display screen 101 has a diffuser plate 102.
It consists of a half mirror 103 equipped with
An imaging device 105 is placed in the same direction as 04, and a projection device 106 is placed in a direction opposite to the viewer 104 with respect to the display screen 101.

[0012] The projection operation with this arrangement is performed by the projection light from the projection device 106 forming an image on the diffuser plate 102, and the observer 104 observing the image formed on the diffuser plate 102. On the other hand, the imaging operation is performed by the half mirror 1
This is done by capturing an image of the observer 104 reflected by the image sensor 03 using the imaging device 105. With the above configuration and operation, images with the same line of sight are transmitted and received.

However, with the above configuration and operation, there remains a possibility that a ghost image may be captured depending on the surrounding brightness environment, and therefore, imaging and projection by time-division driving is desired. Next, an embodiment that satisfies this demand will be described.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the first embodiment, a display screen 101 is composed of a half mirror 103 equipped with a diffuser plate 102, and an observer 104 and An imaging device 105 is arranged in the same direction, and a projection device 106 is arranged in a direction opposite to the viewer 104 with respect to the display screen 101.

In this embodiment, a synchronization signal generator 107 that generates a synchronization signal and an O of the projection operation of the projection device 106 are used.
A projection operation control device 108 that controls an electronic shutter (not shown) that turns on/off, and an electronic shutter (not shown) that turns on/off the imaging operation of the imaging device 105
An imaging operation control device 109 is additionally arranged to control the image capturing operation.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the projection operation and imaging operation of FIG. 2, and the operations will be explained together with the configuration example shown in FIG. 2 above.

First, when the synchronization signal (1) from the synchronization signal generator 107 rises, the imaging operation control device 109
is driven, and the imaging operation (3) is performed by the electronic shutter.
Become N. At the same time, the projection operation control device 108 is activated with the rise of the synchronization signal (1), and the projection operation (2) is turned off by the electronic shutter. That is, the image of the observer 104 reflected by the half mirror 103 is captured by the imaging device 105, and the projection of the projection light from the projection device 106 is temporarily interrupted.

Next, as the synchronizing signal (1) falls, the imaging operation control device 109 controls the electronic shutter to turn off the imaging operation (3), and at the same time, as the synchronizing signal falls, the imaging operation control device 109 controls the projection operation. The device 108 controls the projection operation (2) using the electronic shutter to be turned on. That is, the projection device 106 is placed on the diffuser plate 102.
At the same time, the projection light from the image pickup device 105 is temporarily interrupted. With the above configuration and operation, images with the same line of sight are transmitted and received.

In the above embodiment, the half mirror 103 is provided with the diffusion plate 102, and the half mirror 103 is provided with the diffuser plate 102.
Due to the characteristics of 03, the color of the diffuser plate 102 is half mirror 103
This may lead to a decrease in S/N during imaging. Therefore, the projection device 10 of the half mirror 103
It is desirable to take measures such as making the 6th side black or installing the half mirror 103 and the projection device 106 in a dark room. Next, an embodiment that satisfies this demand will be described.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the display screen 110 is composed of a half mirror 103 equipped with a control screen 111 that can control the light transmission state and the light transmission state.
Projection device 106 in the opposite direction to the observer 104 with respect to 11
is placed.

[0021] Furthermore, the projection device 106 and the display screen 1
10 is installed in a dark room 112. Also, a synchronization signal generator 107 that generates a synchronization signal and a projection device 106
a projection operation control device 108 that controls an electronic shutter that turns ON/OFF the projection operation of the imaging device 105; an imaging operation control device 109 that controls an electronic shutter that turns ON/OFF the imaging operation of the imaging device 105; and a light scattering control screen 111. A screen control device 113 that switches between a (reflection) state and a light transmission state is arranged. control screen 111
This can be realized using, for example, a polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the projection operation and imaging operation of FIG. 4, and the operations will be explained together with the configuration example shown in FIG. 4 above.

First, as the synchronization signal (1) from the synchronization signal generator 107 rises, the imaging operation control device 109
is driven, and the imaging operation (3) is performed by the electronic shutter.
Become N. At this time, the screen control device 113 causes the control screen 111 to perform a control screen operation (4) in a light scattering (reflection) state. At the same time, the projection operation control device 108 is driven with the rise of the synchronization signal, and the projection operation (2) is turned off by the electronic shutter. At this time, the control screen operation (4) of the control screen 111 is switched to the light transmission state. That is, the image of the observer 104 reflected by the half mirror 103 is captured by the imaging device 105, and the projection of the projection light from the projection device 106 is temporarily interrupted.

Next, in response to the fall of the synchronizing signal (1), the imaging operation control device 109 controls the electronic shutter so that the imaging operation (3) is turned off. At this time,
The control screen 111 is controlled by the screen control device 113 to cause the control screen operation (4) to be in a light scattering (reflection) state. At the same time, as the synchronization signal falls, the projection operation control device 108 turns on the electronic shutter to turn on the projection operation (2).
Control so that That is, the projection light from the projection device 106 is imaged on the control screen 111, and the imaging by the imaging device 105 is temporarily interrupted. With the above configuration and operation, images with the same line of sight are transmitted and received.

[0025]

As explained above, according to the line-of-sight matching display device of the present invention, the imaging device is placed in the same direction as the viewer with respect to the display screen, and the projection device is placed on the opposite side from the viewer. By doing so, it is possible to provide a line-of-sight matching display device with a high sense of realism. Furthermore, there are no problems with conventional methods, such as the display being blocked by the viewer pointing at the image displayed on a half mirror, or fingerprints being captured and transmitted to the other party's terminal. Good human interface.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the projection operation and imaging operation in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the projection operation and imaging operation in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a configuration example diagram of a line-of-sight matching type display/imaging device using a conventional half mirror.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 110... Display screen, 102... Diffusion plate, 103... Half mirror, 104... Observer,
105...imaging device, 106...projection device, 10
7... Synchronization signal generator, 108... Projection operation control device,
109...Imaging operation control device, 111...Control screen, 112...Darkroom, 113...Screen control device.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image display device comprising an imaging device, a projection device for projecting an image, and a display screen for forming an image of projection light from the projection device, wherein an observer who observes the image on the display screen; It has an imaging device disposed in the same direction, a projection device disposed in the opposite direction to the viewer, and a display screen composed of a half mirror equipped with a diffuser plate on the side of the projection device. A line-of-sight matching display device characterized by forming and displaying a projected image from a projection device onto a diffuser plate, and capturing an image reflected by a half mirror with an imaging device to capture the image. 2. Means for controlling an imaging operation by an imaging device and a projection operation by a projection device by a synchronization signal; Claim 1, further comprising means for forming a projected image on a diffuser plate and displaying the image while the imaging operation is interrupted during operation.
Gaze matching display device as described. 3. A display screen consisting of a half mirror equipped with a control screen on the projection device side that can switch between a light transmission state and a light scattering state by an electric signal, and a synchronization signal that allows the imaging device to perform the imaging operation and the projection device to perform the projection. means for controlling the operation; means for switching the control screen between a light scattering state and a light transmission state using the same synchronization signal; the control screen is in a light scattering state during the projection operation, and the projected image is formed on the control screen and displayed while the imaging operation is interrupted; The line-of-sight coincidence display device according to claim 1, characterized in that: