Apparatus for obtaining status information of crystalline lens and equipment including the same

Abstract

In one example embodiment, an apparatus for obtaining status information of a crystalline lens of an eye includes a light projector configured to project a reference light to the crystalline lens; an intensity detector configured to detect an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens; and a calculator configured to calculate thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for obtaining status information of a crystalline lens of an eye, the apparatus comprising:
 a light projector configured to project a reference light to the crystalline lens;   an intensity detector configured to detect an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens; and   a calculator configured to calculate thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the light projector comprises:
 a light source positioned outside of a visual field of the eye and configured to generate the reference light; and   a light path changer configured to change a direction of the reference light received from the light source to a direction in which the reference light perpendicularly enters the crystalline lens.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the light path changer comprises a prism that is positioned at an approximately center of the visual field of the eye. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reference light is an invisible light. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the calculator is further configured to calculate a change amount of a thickness of the crystalline lens based on a change amount of the intensity of the scattered light. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the calculator is further configured to calculate a thickness of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of the scattered light and a predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a polarizer positioned at an entrance of the intensity detector. 
     
     
         8 . A three-dimensional (3D) glasses apparatus comprising:
 a light projector configured to project a reference light to a crystalline lens of an eye of a user wearing the 3D glasses;   an intensity detector configured to detect an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens;   a calculator configured to calculate thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light; and   a transmitter configured to transmit the thickness information of the crystalline lens to an external device.   
     
     
         9 . The 3D glasses of  claim 8 , wherein the light projector comprises:
 a light source positioned at a frame body of the 3D glasses and configured to generate the reference light; and   a light path changer positioned on a lens of the 3D glasses and configured to change a direction of the reference light received from the light source to a direction in which the reference light perpendicularly enters the crystalline lens.   
     
     
         10 . The 3D glasses of  claim 9 , wherein the light path changer comprises a micro-sized prism. 
     
     
         11 . A three-dimensional (3D) image display system comprising:
 a 3D image reproducing apparatus configured to reproduce 3D images on a 3D display; and   a 3D glasses used to view the 3D images displayed on the 3D display,   wherein the 3D glasses comprise:   a crystalline lens thickness detector configured to detect thickness information of a crystalline lens of an eye of a wearer, and   a transmitter configured to transmit the thickness information of the crystalline lens to the 3D image reproducing apparatus, and   wherein the 3D image reproducing apparatus comprises:   a receiver configured to receive the thickness information of the crystalline lens from the 3D glasses, and   a controller configured to adjust the 3D images based on the thickness information of the crystalline lens,   wherein the crystalline lens thickness detector comprises:   a light projector configured to project a reference light to the crystalline lens of the eye of the wearer;   an intensity detector configured to detect an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens; and   a calculator configured to calculate the thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light.   
     
     
         12 . The 3D image display system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to display the 3D images based on binocular disparity, if the thickness of the crystalline lens is less than a predetermined reference value, and display 2D images if the thickness of the crystalline lens is greater than the predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         13 . A three-dimensional (3D) image acquisition apparatus comprising:
 a left camera;   a right camera spaced away from the left camera;   a crystalline lens thickness detector positioned on at least one of the left camera and right camera, and configured to detect thickness information of a crystalline lens of an eye of a user who is photographing with the 3D image acquisition apparatus; and   an image processor configured to encode at least one of a left image acquired by the left camera and a right image acquired by the right camera based on the thickness information of the crystalline lens,   wherein the crystalline lens thickness detector comprises:   a light projector configured to project a reference light to the crystalline lens of the eye of the wearer;   an intensity detector configured to detect an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens; and   a calculator configured to calculate the thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light.   
     
     
         14 . The 3D image acquisition apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the image processor is further configured to encode both of the left image and right image, if the thickness of the crystalline lens is less than a predetermined reference value, and encode one of the left image and right image if the thickness of the crystalline lens is greater than the predetermined reference value. 
     
     
         15 . A method for obtaining information of a crystalline lens of an eye, the method comprising:
 projecting a reference light to the crystalline lens of the eye;   detecting an intensity of scattered light that is generated from the reference light by being scattered at the crystalline lens; and   calculating the thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the intensity of scattered light.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the projecting is performed by a light source that is positioned outside of a field of view of the eye. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the projecting comprises:
 projecting the reference light, by the light source, to a light path changer that is positioned in the field of view of the eye, and   changing a direction of the reference light, by the light path changer, to a direction in which the reference light perpendicularly enters the crystalline lens.   calculating thickness information of the crystalline lens based on the received scattered lights.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the directing is performed by a source that is not in the field of view of the person. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the source is included in a pair of three-dimensional (3D) glasses. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the directing comprises directing the light to be perpendicularly incident on the crystalline lens of the eyeball.