OPTOELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROJECTING A LIGHT FIELD PATTERN ONTO AN OBJECT USING AN OPTOELECTRONIC APPARATUS

Abstract

The invention concerns an optoelectronic apparatus comprising a light field pattern generating device with at least one light emitting element and at least one imaging optic, and a first sensor device, wherein the first sensor device is configured to determine the position of a body part, in particudefinilar the face, of a user of the optoelectronic apparatus relative to the light field pattern generating device, and wherein the light field pattern generating device is configured to generate at least one light field pattern on the body part of the user that is not directly visible to the user when looking in the direction of the light field pattern generating device, the light field pattern comprising at least a first area with a first illuminance and a second area with a second illuminance smaller than the first illuminance.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic apparatus comprising a light field pattern generating device with at least one light emitting element and at least one imaging optic, and a first sensor device, wherein the first sensor device is configured to determine the position of a body part, in particular the face, of a user of the optoelectronic apparatus relative to the light field pattern generating device, and wherein the light field pattern generating device is configured to generate at least one light field pattern on the body part of the user that is not directly visible to the user when looking in the direction of the light field pattern generating device, the light field pattern comprising at least a first area with a first illuminance and a second area with a second illuminance smaller than the first illuminance.

2. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second illuminance differ at least by a factor of 2.

3. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light field pattern generating device is configured to generate the light field pattern on the body part with an illuminance of at least 40.000 lux in the first area.

4. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light field pattern generating device is configured to emit light with a spectrum comparable to the solar spectrum filtered or reflected from environmental surfaces or environmental objects.

5. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light field pattern imitates natural light reflected from environmental surfaces or transmitted through environmental objects falling on the body part comprising at least a light area corresponding to the first area and a shadow area corresponding to the second area.

6. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage device to store at least one of a dataset corresponding to a change of the light field pattern over time, the storage device being configured to provide the dataset to the light field pattern generating device; and a plurality of datasets each corresponding to a change of different light field patterns over time, the storage device being configured to provide a desired dataset of the plurality of datasets to the light field pattern generating device.

7. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second sensor device configured to capture a light field pattern on a surface present in the user’s environment, the captured light field pattern comprising at least a first area with a first illuminance and a second area with a second illuminance smaller than the first illuminance.

8. The optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a processing device configured to convert the light field pattern captured by the second sensor device into a dataset and provide the dataset to the light field pattern generating device to generate the light field pattern on the body part of the user.

9. A vehicle in particular autonomous vehicle comprising an optoelectronic apparatus according to claim 1.

10. A method for projecting at least one light field pattern onto a body part of a user, the method comprising the steps: determining the position and/or orientation of the body part, in particular the face, of the user relative to a light field pattern generating device using a first sensor device, the light field pattern generating device comprising at least one light emitting element and at least one imaging optic; providing a first dataset to the light field pattern generating device containing information of the at least one light field pattern to be projected on the body part; and projecting the at least one light field pattern onto the body part of the user such that the light field pattern is not directly visible to the user when looking in the direction of the light field pattern generating device, the at least one light field pattern comprising at least a first area with a first illuminance and a second area with a second illuminance smaller than the first illuminance.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of providing the at least one light field pattern comprises capturing a light field pattern of natural sunlight and shadow falling on a surface.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of providing the at least one light field pattern comprises capturing a light field pattern on a surface present in the user’s environment using a second sensor device, the captured light field pattern comprising at least a first area with a first illuminance and a second area with a second illuminance smaller than the first illuminance.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of providing the at least one light field pattern comprises a conversion of the captured light field pattern into a dataset to be provided to light field pattern generating device.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of projecting the at least one light field pattern onto the body part is also performed when the body part moves.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of determining a mood of the user and providing a corresponding dataset to the light field pattern generating device containing information of at least one light field pattern to be projected on the body part associated with the mood.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] In the following, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown schematically in

[0041] FIG. 1 steps of a method for projecting at least one light field pattern onto a bod part of a user according to some aspects of the invention,

[0042] FIG. 2A a step of capturing a light field pattern according to some aspects of the invention,

[0043] FIG. 2B a step of projecting at least one light field pattern onto the body part of the user using an optoelectronic apparatus according to some aspects of the invention,

[0044] FIG. 3 an embodiment of an optoelectronic apparatus to project at least one light field pattern onto a body part of a user of the optoelectronic apparatus according to some aspects of the invention, and

[0045] FIG. 4 further steps of a method for projecting at least one light field pattern onto a bod part of a user according to some aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness. Like reference characters refer to like elements throughout the description. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows in its subfigures a) to e) schematically steps of a method for projecting at least one light field pattern onto a bod part of in user using an optoelectronic apprartus. In a first step, shown in. subfigure a), of a light/shadow pattern 2.sub.0 falling onto a surface in natural environment is captured using a camera or a colorimeter. This captured raw image may comprise a sun/shadow distribution as it occurs in natural environment depending on the place, the time of day, etc.. The raw image comprises light areas 3.sub.0 as well as shadow areas 4.sub.0 located next to each other which is in a following step, shown in subfigure b), simulated/converted into a false-color luminance image. As indicated in subfigure b) by the oval a photometry “target” that is the size and shape of a human face may be the key area of interest, how the light/shadow pattern falls onto this area.

[0048] The illuminance data of the false-color luminance image within this area of interest is then in a further step fully processed, quantified, and split into cells/pixels (in this case quadrants), to be later projected onto a bod part of a user using an optoelectronic apparatus. The illuminance values can thereby be quantified as values with the unit lux, or candela per square meter respectively. The fully processed and quantified image of the area of interest, as shown in subfigure d), is converted into a dataset comprising information of the illuminance values of the cells/pixels (in this case quadrants), to be projected in form of a light field pattern onto the bod part of the user. Former light areas 3.sub.0 are thereby associated with a high illuminance value forming first areas 3 and former shadow areas 4.sub.0 are associated with a low illuminance value forming second areas 4.

[0049] The light field pattern 2 is then, as shown in subfigure e), projected onto the body part 6 of the user 7, in this case the face of the user, using a light field pattern generating device 5. The processed luminance data is therefore mapped by the light field pattern generating device 5, which can for example comprise a monolithic array of semiconductor pixels or a discrete LED array as well as at least one imaging optic in form of for example apertures to generate the light field pattern 2 on the body part 6. The light field pattern 2 comprises first areas 3 with a higher illuminance and second areas 4 with a lower illuminance correlating to the captured light/shadow pattern 2.sub.0 falling onto a surface in natural environment.

[0050] FIG. 2A shows a step of capturing a light/shadow pattern 2.sub.0 as shown in subfigure a of FIG. 1 falling onto a surface in natural environment using a camera or a colorimeter. A photometry “target” 8 that is the size and shape of a human face/head is therefore for example placed in a natural environment. In the shown example the target 8 is placed in the shadow/half shadow of a tree 9 while daylight and the sun 10 is thus shining. Due to the sun shining through the tree crown, a natural light/shadow pattern 2.sub.0 is generated on the target 8 which is then captured using a camera or a colorimeter 11. The captured image can then serve as a basis for a light pattern to be projected onto a body part of a user. Using such a method a plurality of different natural light/shadow patterns at different locations can be captured and converted into a dataset. These datasets can in a later then be used to project several different light field patterns onto a body part of a user of an optoelectronic apparatus depending on the desired need.

[0051] FIG. 2B shows an application of an optoelectronic apparatus 1 in use and a step of projecting a light field pattern onto a body part of a user of an optoelectronic apparatus 1 respectively. The optoelectronic apparatus 1 is thereby arranged inside a vehicle 12, in particular an autonomous vehicle. Inside the vehicle, an occupant/user 7 of the optoelectronic apparatus is located driving the vehicle 12. In case of autonomous vehicle, the user 7 may for example not need to pay attention to road traffic or other influencing factors outside the vehicle 12. To divert his/her attention from it, and to contribute to the relaxation of the user 7 the optoelectronic apparatus 1 may project a light field pattern 2 onto the user’s face imitating a natural light/shadow pattern falling on his/her face. The optoelectronic apparatus 1 therefore comprises a not shown first sensor device being configured to determine the position of the face of the user. With this information a light field pattern generating device 5 can project a light field pattern 2 directly onto the user’s face. As soon as the user moves his/her head, the first sensor device would determine the new position of the face in real time and the light field pattern 2 would be projected directly onto the face of the user in the new position.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of an optoelectronic apparatus 1. Compared to FIG. 2B, the light/shadow pattern is not captured “in advance” and then projected onto the body part as chosen by the user 7 or the optoelectronic apparatus 1 but captured by a second sensor device 13 located on the outer surface of the vehicle 12 in real time and hence projected onto the body part 4 in real time. Such an alternative can in particular be advantageous to sample, in real time, a light/shadow pattern that is falling on the exterior of the vehicle, capture it via photosensors, and project it, in particular as a distance-corrected duplicate of it, onto the user’s body part.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows further steps of a method for projecting a light field pattern onto a bod part of a user. FIG. 4 shows in particular a possible software algorithm to determine if a light field pattern shall be projected onto a body part of a user of an optoelectronic apparatus, and in addition determine the mood of the user and choosing a light field pattern of a plurality of light field patterns associated with the mood to be projected onto the body part. A first step S1 correlates to sampling the body part, in particular the face of a user of the optoelectronic apparatus. By this, a mood of the user is determined. Depending on the mood, in a step S2 it is chosen if a treatment of the user in form of projecting a light field pattern onto the body part of the user is activated or not. If yes (y) step S3.2 follows, if no (n), step S3.1 follows and no treatment is activated. In step S3.2 it is checked, if a light field pattern associated with the mood of the user is available. If yes (y) step S3.4 follows, if no (n), step S3.3 follows. In step S3.3 the user is asked if he/she prefers to receive a different treatment. If yes (y) step S3.4 follows, if no (n), step S3.1 follows and no treatment is activated. In step S3.4 a treatment is activated and a light pattern is projected onto the body part. Both step S3.1 and S3.4 are again followed by step S1 again sampling the body part and determining position and/or mood of the user to continue the loop.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCES 1 optoelectronic apparatus 2.sub.0 light/shadow pattern 2 light field pattern 3.sub.0 light area 3 first area with first illuminance 4.sub.0 shadow area 4 second area with second illuminance 5 light field pattern generating device 6 body part 7 user 8 target 9 object 10 sun 11 camera 12 vehicle 13 sensor device