An apparatus for use with a head wearable display includes a curved eyepiece for guiding display light received at an input surface peripherally located from a viewing region and emitting the display light along an eye-ward direction in the viewing region. The curved eyepiece includes an optical combiner, an eye-ward facing surface that is concave, a world facing surface that is convex, and a curved lightguide disposed between the eye-ward facing and world facing surfaces to guide the display light via total internal reflections from the input surface to the viewing region. The optical combiner is disposed within the curved eyepiece at the viewing region to redirect the display light towards the eye-ward direction. The optical combiner includes a pattern of reflective elements separated by interstitial regions. The interstitial regions pass ambient light incident through the world facing surface such that the viewing region is partially see-through.

An apparatus for use with a head wearable display includes a curved eyepiece for guiding display light to a viewing region offset from a peripheral location and emitting the display light along an eye-ward direction in the viewing region. The curved eyepiece includes a curved lightguide to guide the display light, an eye-ward facing surface that is concave, a world facing surface that is convex and opposite the eye-ward facing surface, and an optical combiner disposed at the viewing region to redirect the display light towards the eye-ward direction for output from the curved lightguide. The optical combiner is partially transmissive to ambient light incident through the world facing surface such that the viewing region is see-through. In some embodiments, a prism is disposed proximate to the input surface to pre-compensate the display light for lateral chromatic aberrations resulting the curved lightguide.

An augmented reality system includes a light source configured to generate a virtual light beam. The system also includes a light guiding optical element having an entry portion, an exit portion, and a surface having a diverter disposed adjacent thereto. The light source and the light guiding optical element are configured such that the virtual light beam enters the light guiding optical element through the entry portion, propagates through the light guiding optical element by at least partially reflecting off of the surface, and exits the light guiding optical element through the exit portion. The light guiding optical element is transparent to a first real-world light beam. The diverter is configured to modify a light path of a second real-world light beam at the surface.

According to at least one embodiment a glass comprises: a refractive index N of greater than 1.65 at a wavelength λ, where λ=587.6 nm; a glass density of not more than 4.2 g/cm.sup.3; Abbe number V.sub.d greater than 30; the glass comprising greater than 0.03 wt % of rare earth oxide with an atomic number of 58 or higher.

In some embodiments, a display system is provided. The display system comprises a plurality of light pipes and a plurality of light sources configured to emit light into the light pipes. The display system also comprises a spatial light modulator configured to modulate light received from the light pipes to form images. The display system may also comprise one or more waveguides configured to receive modulated light from the spatial light modulator and to relay that light to a viewer.

An imaging system includes a light source configured to generate a light beam. The system also includes first and second light guiding optical elements having respective first and second entry portions, and configured to propagate at least respective first and second portions of the light beam by total internal reflection. The system further includes a light distributor having a light distributor entry portion, a first exit portion, and a second exit portion. The light distributor is configured to direct the first and second portions of the light beam toward the first and second entry portions, respectively. The light distributor entry portion and the first exit portion are aligned along a first axis. The light distributor entry portion and the second exit portion are aligned along a second axis different from the first axis.

The present invention relates to the technical field of head-up display, and particularly relates to a head-up display system for an automobile. The head-up display system comprises a projection light source and laminated glass, and further comprises a transparent nanofilm; said film comprises at least two dielectric layers and at least one metallic layer; the projection light source is used for generating p-polarized light; the p-polarized light is incident on a surface of an internal glass panel distal to an intermediate film, said light having an angle of incidence of 42 to 72 degrees, such that the transparent nanofilm can reflect part of the incident p-polarized light.

A light controlling film comprises a light reflecting film and a light controlling layer that are laminated. The light reflecting film comprises at least two laminated light reflecting layers including at least one of light reflecting layers PRL-1 to PRL-3 that a central reflection wavelength of 400 nm-500 nm, 500 nm-600 nm, and 600 nm-700 nm, respectively, and a reflectance to ordinary light at the central reflection wavelength of 5%-25%. The at least two light reflecting layers have central reflection wavelengths that are different from each other. All of the at least two laminated light reflecting layers have a property of reflecting polarized light having the same orientation. The light controlling layer comprises two quarter wave plates, and the light reflecting film is laminated so as to be interposed between the two quarter wave plates.

By rotating each optical member including an image display apparatus by a rotation unit, it is possible to change an aspect ratio and display an image. At this time, the rotation unit rotates a stop having an opening with a shape corresponding to the shape of an emission surface of image light in a video display element which is a video element of the image display apparatus along with the image display apparatus. Accordingly, even when an image with a horizontally long aspect ratio is shown and even when an image with a vertically long aspect ratio is shown, occurrence of stray light can be suppressed. Thus, guiding of the image light by a light-guiding optical system can be maintained in a good state, and thus good image display can be realized.

Architectures are provided for selectively outputting light for forming images, the light having different wavelengths and being outputted with low levels of crosstalk. In some embodiments, light is incoupled into a waveguide and deflected to propagate in different directions, depending on wavelength. The incoupled light then outcoupled by outcoupling optical elements that outcouple light based on the direction of propagation of the light. In some other embodiments, color filters are between a waveguide and outcoupling elements. The color filters limit the wavelengths of light that interact with and are outcoupled by the outcoupling elements. In yet other embodiments, a different waveguide is provided for each range of wavelengths to be outputted. Incoupling optical elements selectively incouple light of the appropriate range of wavelengths into a corresponding waveguide, from which the light is outcoupled.