Systems, devices, and methods for wearable heads-up displays

• US 10,012,829 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thalmic Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Bailey, Matthew, Alexander, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US15/845,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20180106996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/30 Collimators

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for transparent displays that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays are described. Such transparent displays include one or more scanning projector(s) that is/are mounted on or proximate the lens portion(s) thereof, directly in the field of view of the user. Each scanning projector includes a respective light source that sequentially generates pixels or other discrete portions of an image and a respective dynamic optical beam-steerer that controllably steers the modulated light directly towards select regions of the eye of the user. Successive portions of the image are generated in rapid succession until the entire image is displayed to the user by projection directly onto the eye of the user from one or more point(s) within the user'"'"'s field of view.

Claims

1. A wearable heads-up display comprising:

a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user;

a transparent element that is physically coupled to the support structure, wherein the transparent element is positioned within a field of view of an eye of the user when the support structure is worn on the head of the user; and

n scanning projectors positioned on a transparent surface of the transparent element in the field of view of the eye of the user, wherein n is any integer greater than one, each scanning projector comprising;

a light source to sequentially generate light signals representative of portions of an image; and

a dynamic optical beam-steerer positioned to receive light signals provided by the light source and to controllably scan the light signals over the eye of the user to produce a collective image at the eye of the user, the dynamic optical beam-steerer controllably variable in at least one parameter with respect to the light signals, wherein a direction or path of the light signals is controllably affected by the at least one parameter; and

wherein each respective scanning projector scans light signals representative of a respective copy of the same portion of an image over the eye of the user.

2. The wearable heads-up display of claim 1 wherein n is any square number and the n scanning projectors are positioned in a square grid pattern.

3. A wearable heads-up display comprising:

a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user;

a transparent element that is physically coupled to the support structure, wherein the transparent element is positioned within a field of view of an eye of the user when the support structure is worn on the head of the user; and

n scanning projectors positioned on a transparent surface of the transparent element in the field of view of the eye of the user, wherein n is any integer greater than one, each scanning projector comprising;

a light source to sequentially generate light signals representative of portions of an image; and

a dynamic optical beam-steerer positioned to receive light signals provided by the light source and to controllably scan the light signals over the eye of the user to produce a collective image at the eye of the user, the dynamic optical beam-steerer controllably variable in at least one parameter with respect to the light signals, wherein a direction or path of the light signals is controllably affected by the at least one parameter; and

wherein each respective scanning projector scans light signals representative of a different portion of an image over the eye of the user.

4. The wearable heads-up display of claim 3 wherein n is a square number and the n scanning projectors are positioned in a square grid pattern.