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 in which a user views presented digital content and through which the user sees a surrounding environment;   b. The processor further adapted to present digital content in an extended field of view in which a 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;   d. the processor further adapted to present digital content in the main field of view and reduce an appearance of the content as the content approaches an edge of the main field of view; and   e. The processor further adapted to further reduce the appearance of the content when the content is presented in the extended field of view.   
     
     
         2 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the processor gradually reduces the appearance of the content in the extended field of view the closer the content gets to an edge of the extended field of view. 
     
     
         3 . The head-worn display of  claim 2 , wherein the content is substantially not apparent when the content is at the edge of the extended field of view. 
     
     
         4 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the appearance reduction is a reduction in the content's brightness. 
     
     
         5 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the appearance reduction is a reduction in the content's contrast. 
     
     
         6 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the appearance reduction is a reduction in the content's sharpness. 
     
     
         7 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the appearance reduction is a reduction in the content's resolution. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         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 towards a culminating partial mirror that reflects the image light to an eye of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the extended field of view is generated by an OLED that projects light onto a combiner. 
     
     
         11 . 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. 
     
     
         12 . 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. 
     
     
         13 . 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. 
     
     
         14 . The head-worn display of  claim 13 , wherein the panel is mounted on a combiner. 
     
     
         15 . The head-worn display of  claim 13 , wherein the panel is mounted vertically. 
     
     
         16 . The head-worn display of  claim 13 , wherein the see-through panel is an OLED. 
     
     
         17 . The head-worn display of  claim 13 , wherein the see-through panel is an edge lit LCD. 
     
     
         18 . The head-worn display of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to predict when the content is going to approach the edge of the main field of view and to base the appearance reduction at least in part on the prediction. 
     
     
         19 . The head-worn display of  claim 18 , wherein the prediction is at least in part based on an eye-image.