G02B27/0081

DISPLAY WITH IMAGE LIGHT STEERING

A display device includes a directional illuminator providing a light beam, a display panel downstream of a directional illuminator, for receiving and spatially modulating the light beam, and a beam redirecting module downstream of the display panel, for variably redirecting the spatially modulated light beam. Steering the illuminating light by the beam redirecting module enables one to steer the exit pupil of the display device to match the user's eye location(s).

CONTROL OF AMBIENT LIGHT REFLECTED FROM PUPIL REPLICATOR
20230017795 · 2023-01-19 ·

A waveguide head-up display (HUD) includes a waveguide that includes a lower surface and an upper surface and is configured to receive an input and project, based on the input, at least one image from the upper surface and into an eyebox, and a prism arranged at least one of on and above the waveguide. The prism includes a lower surface facing the waveguide and configured to receive the at least one image and an upper surface opposite the lower surface configured to project the at least one image received via the lower surface of the prism. The upper surface of the prism is angled relative to the upper surface of the waveguide such that a first normal of the upper surface of the prism is different from a second normal of the upper surface of the waveguide.

WIDE FIELD OF VIEW (FOV) DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) AND SMART GLASSES
20230019746 · 2023-01-19 ·

A multilayered optical prism assembly with a sub-array of micro-mirror strips between each layer such that light passing through the assembly has an increased path length to facilitate focusing and a curved reflector increases the field of view with the light being presented through an array of pinhole micro-mirrors consisting of a combination of the sub-arrays.

OUTCOUPLING GRATING FOR AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEM
20230221564 · 2023-07-13 · ·

An eyepiece for use in front of an eye of a viewer includes a waveguide having a surface and a diffractive optical element (DOE) optically coupled to the waveguide. The DOE includes a plurality of first ridges protruding from the surface of the waveguide and arranged as a periodic array having a period, each respective first ridge has a first height and a respective first width. The DOE also includes a plurality of second ridges, each respective second ridge protruding from a respective first ridge and having a second height greater than the first height and a respective second width less than the respective first width. At least one of the respective first width, the respective second width, or a respective ratio between the respective first width and the respective second width varies as a function of a distance from a first edge of the DOE.

PLENOPTIC CAMERA MEASUREMENT AND CALIBRATION OF HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAYS
20230221560 · 2023-07-13 ·

A method for measuring performance of a head-mounted display module, the method including arranging the head-mounted display module relative to a plenoptic camera assembly so that an exit pupil of the head-mounted display module coincides with a pupil of the plenoptic camera assembly; emitting light from the head-mounted display module while the head-mounted display module is arranged relative to the plenoptic camera assembly; filtering the light at the exit pupil of the head-mounted display module; acquiring, with the plenoptic camera assembly, one or more light field images projected from the head-mounted display module with the filtered light; and determining information about the performance of the head-mounted display module based on acquired light field image.

WAVEGUIDE ARCHITECTURE BASED ON DIFFRACTIVE OPTICAL ELEMENTS FOR AUGMENTED REALITY DISPLAYS WITH A WIDE FIELD OF VIEW

The disclosure relates to augmented reality devices, namely to near-field displays, to planar waveguides with diffractive optical elements and displays based on such planar waveguides. The architecture of diffractive optical elements, performed in a waveguide and a method for operating the architecture of diffractive optical elements, eliminating image dispersion and expanding the horizontal field of view are provided. The method for operating the architecture of diffractive optical elements, expanding the vertical field of view and a device for displaying an augmented reality containing the proposed architecture of diffractive optical elements are provided. The augmented reality glasses includes the proposed augmented reality display device.

DIFFRACTIVE OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND DISPLAY DEVICE
20230221503 · 2023-07-13 ·

A diffractive optical waveguide is provided, which comprises a waveguide substrate and a coupling-in grating, a coupling-out grating, and a coupling-in end light-return grating formed on the substrate, the coupling-in grating couples an input beam into the waveguide substrate and forms a first beam of light propagating toward the coupling-out grating and a second beam of light not propagating toward the coupling-out grating, the coupling-out grating couples at least a part of the light propagating therein out of the substrate, and the coupling-in end light-return grating diffracts the second beam of light so that it propagates toward the coupling-out grating. A display device having the above diffractive optical waveguide is also disclosed. By providing the coupling-in end light-return grating, optical coupling efficiency of the diffractive optical waveguide is improved, and the energy distribution uniformity of an output field of the diffractive optical waveguide is improved.

LENSLET-BASED MICROLED PROJECTORS
20230221479 · 2023-07-13 ·

In a general aspect, a wearable display system includes a microlens array projector including a plurality of elemental microlens relays (EMRs). Each EMR of the plurality of EMRs includes a microLED microdisplay including a plurality of pixels, and is configured to generate a subset of light associated with an image. Each EMR also includes a microlens configured to receive the subset of light from the microdisplay. The system also includes a lightguide, an incoupling element optically coupled with the lightguide, and an outcoupling element optically coupled with the lightguide. The microlens is configured to relay the subset of light to the incoupling element. The incoupling element is configured to incouple the subset of light into the lightguide. The outcoupling element is configured to outcouple portions of the subset of light at a plurality of respective locations along the lightguide, where outcoupled light of the plurality of EMRs represents the image.

CALIBRATION AND USE OF EYE TRACKING

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for an eye tracking system to track eye movement via a camera and lens module utilizing a low-profile phase element, such as a holographic optical element (HOE), or a multipurpose sensor are provided. Systems and methods may include a multipurpose sensor to detect changes in light and determine occurrence of eye movement, a lens module (e.g., waveguide) configured to project an image covering a first field of view within an eye relief zone, to a camera positioned adjacent to the lens module and configured to track eye movements within a second field of view, and a low-profile phase element positioned in front of the camera. Light reflected from the user's eyes is transmitted via lens module to the camera which responds to eye reflection data of the second field of view. Systems and apparatuses for a calibration system to perform key performance indicator testing for eye tracking systems are provided. The system may include a camera positioned in front of an artificial eye or object being tested and an eye tracking system positioned. The camera may include calibrated ground truth data for eye tracking systems. They camera may be attached to a mount with kinematic mounting features. The mount may be positioned anterior of the eye tracking system and magnetized, enabling the interchangeability of the camera and mount between different eye tracking systems. The calibration system may include a lens arranged to guide light through the eye tracking system and to the artificial eye, where the reflection of light may be observed by the eye tracking system and the camera of the calibration system.

Tiled waveguide display with a wide field-of-view
11698533 · 2023-07-11 · ·

A waveguide display includes light sources, a source waveguide, an output waveguide, and a controller. Light from each of the light sources is coupled into the source waveguide. The source waveguide includes gratings with a constant period determined based on the conditions for total internal reflection and first order diffraction of the received image light. The emitted image light is coupled into the output waveguide at several entrance locations. The output waveguide outputs expanded image lights at a location offset from the entrance location, and the location/direction of the emitted expanded image light is based in part on the orientation of the light sources. Each of the expanded image light is associated with a field of view of the expanded image light emitted by the output waveguide.