See-through computer display systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for the see-through computer display systems with an extended field of view.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A head-worn see-through display, comprising:
 a. A see-through optical element mounted such that it is positioned in front of a user's eye when the head-worn see-through display is worn by the user;   a. A processor adapted to present digital content in a main field of view on the see-through optical element in which a user views presented digital content and through which the user sees a surrounding environment;   b. The processor adapted to present digital content in an extended field of view in which the user views presented digital content and through which the user sees the surrounding environment;   c. The main field of view having a higher resolution than the extended field of view; and   d. the processor further adapted to present a first portion of the digital content in the main field of view and a second portion of the digital content in the extended field of view.   
     
     
         2 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein when the digital content is too large to fit in the main field of view, the processor creates a soft transition between the first portion of the digital content in the main field of view and the second portion of the digital content in the extended field of view such that it does not appear to be abruptly cut off at the edge of the main field of view. 
     
     
         3 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to generate a soft appearance towards the edges of the main field of view. 
     
     
         4 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the processor modifies how pixels towards an edge of the display render content. 
     
     
         5 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , further comprising, a display driver that modifies how pixels towards an edge of the head-worn display render content. 
     
     
         6 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the head-worn display has pixels towards an edge of the head-worn display that render content differently than pixels towards a center portion of the head-worn display. 
     
     
         7 . The head-worn display of  claim 6 , wherein the pixels towards the edge have less gain than the pixels towards the center portion of the head-worn display. 
     
     
         8 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein pixels towards the edges of the main field of view are altered digitally through a content transition algorithm. 
     
     
         9 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by reflecting image light onto a combiner that directs the image light directly to an eye of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by reflecting image light onto a combiner that directs the image light towards a culminating partial mirror that reflects the image light to an eye of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by an OLED that projects light onto a combiner. 
     
     
         12 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by an LED array that projects light onto a combiner. 
     
     
         13 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by an edge lit LCD that projects light onto a combiner. 
     
     
         14 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by a see-through panel positioned directly in front of the eye of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The head-worn display of  claim 14 , wherein the panel is mounted on a combiner. 
     
     
         16 . The head-worn display of  claim 14 , wherein the panel is mounted vertically. 
     
     
         17 . The head-worn display of  claim 14 , wherein the see-through panel is an OLED. 
     
     
         18 . The head-worn display of  claim 14 , wherein the see-through panel is an edge lit LCD. 
     
     
         19 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , the processor is further adapted to predict when the content is going to approach an edge of the field of view and to base the appearance transition at least in part on the prediction. 
     
     
         20 . The head-worn display of  claim 19 , wherein the prediction is at least in part based on an eye-image.