Method and apparatus for generating input images for holographic waveguide displays
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An image generation device comprising:
- a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a light modulating surface;
a source emitting a first wavelength light;
a beam deflector for forming said first wavelength light into a scanned beam having a scanned beam angle;
an illumination waveguide containing at least one switchable grating disposed in at least one layer;
an image transport waveguide overlaying the light modulating surface of said SLM and containing at least one switchable grating disposed in at least one layer; and
a coupler for directing said scanned beam into a first set of total internal reflection (TIR) paths in said illumination waveguide,said at least one switchable grating in said illumination waveguide diffracting light out of said first set of TIR paths onto said SLM,said SLM modulating light diffracted from said illumination waveguide with image information that varies with the scanned beam angle to form image-modulated light and reflecting the image-modulated light through said illumination waveguide onto said image transport waveguide, andsaid at least one switchable grating in said image transport waveguide diffracting said image-modulated light into a second set of TIR paths in said image transport waveguide.
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Abstract
An image generation device having: a spatial light modulator; a source of light; a beam deflector; an illumination waveguide and an image transport waveguide, each waveguide containing at least one switchable grating; and a coupler for directing scanned light into a first set of TIR paths in said illumination waveguide. A switchable grating in the illumination waveguide diffracts light onto the SLM, a switchable grating in the image transport waveguide diffracting image-modulated from the SLM into a waveguide path.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An image generation device comprising:
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a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a light modulating surface; a source emitting a first wavelength light; a beam deflector for forming said first wavelength light into a scanned beam having a scanned beam angle; an illumination waveguide containing at least one switchable grating disposed in at least one layer; an image transport waveguide overlaying the light modulating surface of said SLM and containing at least one switchable grating disposed in at least one layer; and a coupler for directing said scanned beam into a first set of total internal reflection (TIR) paths in said illumination waveguide, said at least one switchable grating in said illumination waveguide diffracting light out of said first set of TIR paths onto said SLM, said SLM modulating light diffracted from said illumination waveguide with image information that varies with the scanned beam angle to form image-modulated light and reflecting the image-modulated light through said illumination waveguide onto said image transport waveguide, and said at least one switchable grating in said image transport waveguide diffracting said image-modulated light into a second set of TIR paths in said image transport waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of generating a wave guided image comprising the steps of:
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providing a SLM, an illumination waveguide containing at least one switchable grating layer, an image transport waveguide containing at least one switchable grating layer, a laser module, a micro mirror and a coupler; said micro-mirror sweeping light from said laser module, through a defined angular range the light being injected into the illumination waveguide; switching a switchable Bragg grating (SBG) layer in the illumination waveguide to diffract light onto the SLM; and switching a SBG layer in the image transport waveguide to diffract light reflected from the SLM into a waveguide path in the image transport waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (18, 20)
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19. A method of generating a wave guided image comprising the steps of:
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providing a SLM, an illumination waveguide containing at least one switchable grating layer, an image transport waveguide containing at least one switchable grating layer, a laser module, a micro mirror and a coupler; the micro-mirror sweeping light from said laser module through a defined angular range the light being injected into the illumination waveguide; sequentially update regions of the SLM with image information; switching a switchable Bragg grating (SBG) layer in the illumination waveguide to diffract light onto a region of the SLM; and switching a SBG layer in the image transport waveguide to diffract light reflected from the SLM into a waveguide path in the image transport waveguide.
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Specification