Display with eye-discomfort reduction

Abstract

A near-eye display system comprises a display portion arranged in sight of a viewer; a sensory portion with an output responsive to an indication of physiological discomfort experienced by the viewer; and an electronic controller operatively coupled to the display portion and to the sensory portion and configured to adjust an operating parameter of the near-eye display system based on the output of the sensory portion, so as to quell the indication of the physiological discomfort.

1 . A near-eye display system comprising:
 a display portion arranged in sight of a viewer;   a sensory portion with an output responsive to an indication of physiological discomfort experienced by the viewer; and   an electronic controller operatively coupled to the display portion and to the sensory portion and configured to adjust an operating parameter of the near-eye display system based on the output of the sensory portion, so as to quell the indication of the physiological discomfort.   
     
     
         2 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the operating parameter is a parameter of the display portion. 
     
     
         3 . The display system of  claim 2 , wherein the operating parameter includes display-image brightness. 
     
     
         4 . The display system of  claim 2 , wherein the operating parameter includes display-image depth. 
     
     
         5 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the operating parameter is a parameter of the sensory portion. 
     
     
         6 . The display system of  claim 5 , wherein the operating parameter includes an illumination intensity of an infrared illumination source directed toward the viewer. 
     
     
         7 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory portion includes a sensor configured to sense eye movement. 
     
     
         8 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory portion includes a sensor configured to sense pupil dilation. 
     
     
         9 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory portion includes a sensor configured to sense physiological stress on the viewer. 
     
     
         10 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is responsive to eye stress. 
     
     
         11 . The display system of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a non-contact eye-temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The display system of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is an imaging sensor configured to image an eye of the viewer. 
     
     
         13 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensory portion, operatively coupled to the electronic controller, is configured to track a gaze direction of the viewer. 
     
     
         14 . The display system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the operating parameter in view of a performance constraint in the near-eye display system. 
     
     
         15 . A wearable, head-mounted display system comprising:
 a stereoscopic, see-through display portion positioned close to a wearer's eye;   a sensory portion with an output responsive to an indication of ocular discomfort experienced by the wearer; and   an electronic controller operatively coupled to the display portion and to the sensory portion and configured to adjust an operating parameter of the near-eye display system based on the output of the sensory portion, so as to quell the indication of the ocular discomfort.   
     
     
         16 . The head-mounted display system of  claim 15 , wherein the stereoscopic, see-through display includes an electronically modulated dimming screen configured to controllably reduce transmission of ambient light and real-world imagery to the wearer's eye, and wherein the operating parameter includes opacity of the dimming screen. 
     
     
         17 . A near-eye display system comprising:
 a display portion arranged in sight of a viewer;   a sensory portion with a first output responsive to an indication of ocular discomfort experienced by the viewer and a second output responsive to an indication of non-ocular physiological stress experienced by the viewer; and   a controller operatively coupled to the display portion and to the sensory portion and configured to adjust an operating parameter of the near-eye display system based on the output of the sensory portion, so as to quell the indication of the ocular discomfort and/or the indication of the non-ocular physiological stress.   
     
     
         18 . The display system of  claim 17 , wherein the stress sensor is one or more of a heart-rate sensor, respiration sensor, blood-pressure sensor, heart waveform sensor, blood-sugar sensor, blood-oxygen sensor, ambient carbon-dioxide sensor, perspiration sensor and skin-temperature sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The display system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to estimate a level of eye discomfort based on the ocular condition reported by the ocular sensor combined with the physiological stress reported by the stress sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The display system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to apply output from the sensory portion to track a gaze direction of the viewer.