Information system and method for providing information using a holographic element

• US 10,188,288 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Eberl, Roland H. C., Eberl, Heinrich A., Dickerson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US15/235,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20160345826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 351 41-176, 351205-206, 351210, 351221, 359 13- 14, 359633, 359727, 359732, 359631, 359618-619, 359629-630, 359639
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/12 for looking at the eye fundus, e.g. ophthalmoscopes A61B3/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/14 Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

An information system and a method for providing information in correlation with light that is incident on an eye includes a holographic element disposed in front of the eye and a device capable of recording optical signals which detects light that is incident on the eye via the holographic element. The device capable of recording optical signals detects light which is diffracted by the holographic element before the light impinges on the eye such that the diffracted light does not enter the eye.

Claims

1. A light-based information system, comprising:

a first holographic element positioned to refract light, at a first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, incident from an environment, wherein the first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a first concave side of a first surface constructed according to a curvature of a first rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid;

an optical scanning device positioned to detect the refracted light from the first holographic element and to generate a perceived field of vision;

an optical projection device positioned to receive the perceived field of vision and to produce a modified perceived field of vision; and

a second holographic element positioned to refract the modified perceived field of vision, at a second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, so as to generate an optical output, wherein the second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a second concave side of a second surface constructed according to a curvature of a second rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid.

2. The light-based information system of claim 1, wherein the first and the second rotationally symmetric ellipsoids are uniform and similarly positioned.

3. The light-based information system of claim 2, further comprising a structure for mounting on a head within which the first holographic element, the optical scanning device, the optical projection device and the second holographic element are mounted, wherein a first focal point of the first and the second ellipsoids coincides with an eye'"'"'s optical center when the structure is mounted on the head.

4. The light-based information system of claim 3, wherein a second focal point of the first ellipsoid coincides with an optical input point of the optical scanning device.

5. The light-based information system of claim 3, wherein a second focal point of the second ellipsoid coincides with an optical output point of the optical projection device.

6. The light based information system of claim 5, wherein the first holographic element, the optical scanning device, the optical projection device and the second holographic element are arranged in the structure such that the second holographic element is positioned to refract light into the eye.

7. The light-based information system of claim 6, wherein an angle of incidence of light onto the eye may be determined from knowledge of the shape of the second ellipsoid and an angle of incidence of light from the optical projection device.

8. The information system of claim 1, wherein the first and second holographic elements are not shaped like ellipsoids.

9. A method of using a light-based information system, comprising:

positioning a first holographic element to refract light incident from an environment, at a first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, wherein the first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a first concave side of a first surface constructed according to a curvature of a first rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid;

positioning an optical scanning device to detect the refracted light from the first holographic element and to generate a perceived field of vision;

positioning an optical projection device to receive the perceived field of vision and to produce a modified perceived field of vision; and

positioning a second holographic element to refract the modified perceived field of vision, at a second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, so as to generate an optical output, wherein the second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a second concave side of a second surface constructed according to a curvature of a second rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and the second rotationally symmetric ellipsoids are uniform and similarly positioned.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the first and second ellipsoids in a structure so that a first focal point of the first and second ellipsoids coincide with an eye'"'"'s optical center when the structure is mounted on a head.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a second focal point of the first ellipsoid coincides with an optical input point of the optical scanning device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a second focal point of the second ellipsoid coincides with an optical output point of the optical projection device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first holographic element, the optical scanning device, the optical projection device and the second holographic element are arranged in the structure such that the second holographic element is positioned to refract light into the eye.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an angle of incidence of light onto the eye may be determined from knowledge of the shape of the second ellipsoid and an angle of incidence of light from the optical projection device.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second holographic elements are not shaped like ellipsoids.

17. A light-based information system, comprising:

a structure for mounting on a head;

a first holographic element positioned in the structure to refract light, at a first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, incident from an environment, wherein the first one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a first concave side of a first surface constructed according to a curvature of a first rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid, the first ellipsoid having a first focal point that coincides with an eye'"'"'s optical center when the structure is mounted on the head;

an optical scanning device positioned in the structure to detect the refracted light from the first holographic element and to generate a perceived field of vision;

an optical projection device positioned in the structure to receive the perceived field of vision and to produce a modified perceived field of vision; and

a second holographic element positioned in the structure to refract the modified perceived field of vision, at a second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths, so as to generate an optical output, wherein the second one or more characteristic discrete wavelengths correspond to a refraction on a second concave side of a second surface constructed according to a curvature of a second rotationally symmetrical ellipsoid, the second ellipsoid having a first focal point that coincides with the eye'"'"'s optical center when the structure is mounted on the head.

18. The light-based information system of claim 17, wherein:

a second focal point of the first ellipsoid coincides with an optical input point of the optical scanning device; and

a second focal point of the second ellipsoid coincides with an optical output point of the optical projection device.