Systems, devices, and methods for spatially-multiplexed holographic optical elements
First Claim
1. A spatially-multiplexed holographic optical element (“
- HOE”
) for use in a display having multiple exit pupils, wherein the spatially-multiplexed HOE includes at least one layer of holographic material and that at least one layer of holographic material comprises;
a first holographic region including a first hologram to receive light from a light source, apply a first optical function thereto, and converge the light towards a first exit pupil with the first optical function applied thereto; and
a second holographic region including a second hologram to receive light from the light source, apply a second optical function thereto, the second optical function different from the first optical function, and diverge the light towards a second exit pupil with the second optical function applied thereto, wherein;
the second holographic region is a closest neighbor holographic region to the first holographic region and spatially-separated from the first holographic region; and
the second exit pupil is spatially-separated from the first exit pupil.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods for spatial multiplexing in holographic optical elements (“HOEs”) are described. A spatially-multiplexed HOE includes multiple spatially-separated holographic regions and each spatially-separated region applies a respective optical function to light that is incident thereon. An exemplary application as a spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner (“SMHC”) in a scanning laser-based wearable heads-up display (“WHUD”) is described. In this exemplary application, a scanning laser projector directs multiple light signals over the area of the SMHC and the SMHC converges the light signals towards multiple spatially-separated exit pupils at or proximate the eye of the user. The particular exit pupil at the eye of the user towards which any particular light signal is converged by the SMHC depends on the particular region of the SMHC upon which the light signal is incident. Such may be useful in engineering particular eyebox and/or user interface display configurations in the operation of the WHUD.
147 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A spatially-multiplexed holographic optical element (“
- HOE”
) for use in a display having multiple exit pupils, wherein the spatially-multiplexed HOE includes at least one layer of holographic material and that at least one layer of holographic material comprises;a first holographic region including a first hologram to receive light from a light source, apply a first optical function thereto, and converge the light towards a first exit pupil with the first optical function applied thereto; and a second holographic region including a second hologram to receive light from the light source, apply a second optical function thereto, the second optical function different from the first optical function, and diverge the light towards a second exit pupil with the second optical function applied thereto, wherein; the second holographic region is a closest neighbor holographic region to the first holographic region and spatially-separated from the first holographic region; and the second exit pupil is spatially-separated from the first exit pupil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- HOE”
-
11. A wearable heads-up display (“
- WHUD”
) comprising;a support structure that in use is worn on a head of a user; a scanning laser projector carried by the support structure; and a spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner carried by the support structure, wherein the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner 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 wherein the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner comprises at least one layer of holographic material, the at least one layer of holographic material including; a first holographic region including a first hologram positioned and oriented to receive a first range of light signals from the scanning laser projector and to converge the first range of light signals to a first exit pupil at or proximate the eye of the user; and a second holographic region including a second hologram positioned and oriented to receive a second range of light signals from the scanning laser projector and to diverge the second range of light signals to a second exit pupil at or proximate the eye of the user, wherein the second holographic region is a closest neighbor holographic region to the first holographic region and spatially-separated from the first holographic region at the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner and the second exit pupil is spatially-separated from the first exit pupil at the eye of the user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- WHUD”
-
18. A method of operating a wearable heads-up display (“
- WHUD”
), the WHUD including a scanning laser projector and a spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner positioned within a field of view of an eye of a user when the WHUD is worn on a head of the user, the method comprising;directing a first light signal towards a first region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including a first hologram by the scanning laser projector; converging, by the first region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including the first hologram, the first light signal towards a first exit pupil at or proximate the eye of the user; directing a second light signal towards a second region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including a second hologram by the scanning laser projector, the second region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including the second hologram being a closest neighboring hologram to and spatially separated from the first region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including the first hologram at the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner; and diverging, by the second region of the spatially-multiplexed holographic combiner including the second hologram, the second light signal towards a second exit pupil at or proximate the eye of the user, the second exit pupil spatially-separated from the first exit pupil at the eye of the user. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
- WHUD”
Specification