Waveguides with improved intensity distributions
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, the apparatus comprising:
- an optical waveguide including input-coupler, one or more intermediate-components and an output-coupler;
the input-coupler configured to couple light corresponding to the image associated with the input pupil into the optical waveguide and diffract the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions so that light corresponding to the image is diffracted toward each of the one or more intermediate-components;
the one or more intermediate-components configured to;
perform odd-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the first direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR);
perform even-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the second direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of TIR; and
the output-coupler configured to couple the light corresponding to the image, that has travelled from the one or more intermediate-components to the output-coupler by way of TIR, out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image is viewable from the output-pupil.
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Abstract
An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, comprises an optical waveguide including input-coupler, one or more intermediate-components and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the optical waveguide and diffracts the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions so that light corresponding to the image is diffracted toward each of the one or more intermediate-components. The intermediate-component(s) is/are configured to individually or collectively perform both odd-order pupil expansion and even-order pupil expansion on light corresponding to the image that travels from the input-coupler to the one or more intermediate-components by way of TIR, and diffract the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler. The output-coupler is configured to couple the light corresponding to the image out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image is viewable from the output-pupil.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, the apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide including input-coupler, one or more intermediate-components and an output-coupler; the input-coupler configured to couple light corresponding to the image associated with the input pupil into the optical waveguide and diffract the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions so that light corresponding to the image is diffracted toward each of the one or more intermediate-components; the one or more intermediate-components configured to; perform odd-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the first direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR); perform even-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the second direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of TIR; and the output-coupler configured to couple the light corresponding to the image, that has travelled from the one or more intermediate-components to the output-coupler by way of TIR, out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image is viewable from the output-pupil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for using an optical waveguide to replicate an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, comprising:
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coupling light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil into the optical waveguide and diffracting the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions; performing odd-order pupil expansion on light corresponding to the image that, when coupled into the optical waveguide, is diffracted in a first one of the at least two different directions from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR); performing even-order pupil expansion on light corresponding to the image that, when coupled into the optical waveguide, is directed in a second one of the at least two different directions from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of TIR, which is either the same or different than the intermediate-component that is used for the performing odd-order pupil expansion; and coupling the light corresponding to the image out of the optical waveguide, after performing the odd-order pupil expansion and the even order pupil expansion, so that the light corresponding to the image is viewable from the output-pupil. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A head-mounted display (HMD) or a heads-up display (HUD) system, comprising:
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a display engine configured to produce an image; an optical waveguide including input-coupler, one or more intermediate-components and an output-coupler; the input-coupler configured to couple light corresponding to the image associated with the input pupil into the optical waveguide and diffract the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions so that light corresponding to the image is diffracted toward each of the one or more intermediate-components; the one or more intermediate-components configured to; perform odd-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the first direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR), perform even-order pupil expansion on the light corresponding to the image that travels in the second direction from the input-coupler to the one intermediate-component by way of TIR, the output-coupler configured to couple the light corresponding to the image, that has travelled from the one or more intermediate-components to the output-coupler by way of TIR, out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image is viewable from the output-pupil; wherein the light that experiences odd-order pupil expansion by changes propagation direction an odd number of times before being incident on the output-coupler; and wherein the light that experiences even-order pupil expansion changes propagation direction an even number of times before being incident on the output-coupler. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification