Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for providing a dynamically variable focal plane in a waveguide-based display. Generally speaking, embodiments described herein provide an optical system that allows variable control of the focal length of the image emerging from the display engine into the waveguide. This can be a dynamic system that is controlled based upon the content being projected on the display. For a stereoscopic system, individual control of each eye can be provided. More specifically, embodiments comprise an electrically tunable lens element interposed between the output of the projection engine and the optical waveguide and a control unit to dynamically the tunable lens element to vary the focal length of the images provided to the waveguide display.

A 3D play system is provided. The system includes a head-mounted/headset device. The head-mounted device includes a supporting structure; a first lens; and a second lens. The supporting structure is configured to support two display devices. The first lens is configured to zoom an image displayed by a first display device and project the zoomed image onto a left eye. The second lens is configured to zoom an image displayed by a second display device and project the zoomed image onto a right eye. The 3D play system imposes less limitation on a watching environment and allows a user to watch 3D images conveniently.

A 3D play system is provided. The system includes a head-mounted/headset device. The head-mounted device includes a supporting structure; a first lens; and a second lens. The supporting structure is configured to support two display devices. The first lens is configured to zoom an image displayed by a first display device and project the zoomed image onto a left eye. The second lens is configured to zoom an image displayed by a second display device and project the zoomed image onto a right eye. The 3D play system imposes less limitation on a watching environment and allows a user to watch 3D images conveniently.

A guidance camera deployed on a vehicle may be equipped with a zoom lens configured to change a zoom level of the guidance camera. The zoom level may be changed in response to a scenario performed by a vehicle equipped with the guidance camera, vehicle controls issued by a vehicle controller, and/or based on identification of objects in imagery captured by the guidance camera. The zoom lens may be implemented as a lens array that includes different lenses, as a wheel lens array that includes different lenses, or by a light direction device that guides light from a specific lens of different lenses into the guidance camera. Stereo cameras may be configured with the zoom lenses, and may be repositioned to ensure suitable overlap in a field of view to enable calculation of a distance of objects captured in the imagery of the stereo camera.

Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.

Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.

A reduction optical system disposed on an image side of a main optical system, a composite focal length of the main optical system and the reduction optical system being shorter than a focal length of the main optical system, includes a first lens element disposed closest to an object side and having a positive refractive power, a second lens element disposed closest to an image side and having a positive refractive power, and a positive lens and a negative lens disposed between the first lens element and the second lens element.

Configurations are disclosed for presenting virtual reality and augmented reality experiences to users. The system may comprise an accommodation tracking module to track an accommodation of a user's eyes, a first variable focus element (VFE) to switch between at least two focal planes, wherein a distance between the two focal planes is relatively consistent, and a second VFE to shift the at least two focal planes based at least in part on the tracked accommodation of the user's eyes.

An electronic apparatus, a camera optical-zoom method, a camera optical-zoom unit, and a memory are disclosed. The electronic apparatus may include a camera, a sensor, a processor, and a memory, where the memory stores a program instruction which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the following steps: receiving image data of a photographed object acquired by the camera; and integrating image data of a full pixel area corresponding to a zoom value of the camera according to a preset algorithm, and outputting the integrated image data according to a coordinate sequence of pixels on the sensor, where the full pixel area includes pixel areas of the sensor corresponding to the zoom value and pixel areas of the sensor corresponding to a value greater than the zoom value.

The effective focal length of an optical system can be electronically controlled using switchable wave plates in conjunction with polarized light.