Polarizing maintaining optical fiber in virtual/augmented reality system

• US 10,587,848 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Yeoh, Ivan, Edwin, Lionel Ernest, Tinch, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kianni, Kaveh C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US15/410,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20170208297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 385 25, 385 34- 37, 385 49, 385 50, 385129-132
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/103 having movable or deformable optical fibres, light guides or waveguides as scanning elements light guides per se G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0011 the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/024 with polarisation maintaining properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

A display subsystem for a virtual image generation system for use by an end user comprises a display, an optical fiber having a polarization-maintaining (PM) transmission fiber section and a non-PM scanning fiber section, a light source configured for injecting a linearly polarized light beam into the transmission fiber section, such that the linearly polarized light beam is emitted from the scanning fiber section, a mechanical scanning drive assembly in which the scanning fiber section is affixed, wherein the mechanical scanning drive assembly is configured for displacing the scanning optical fiber section is order to scan the emitted light beam, and a display configured for receiving the scanned light beam and generating an image to the end user.

Claims

1. A virtual image generation system, comprising:

a composite optical fiber that is a composite of a polarization-maintaining (PM) transmission fiber section and a non-PM scanning fiber section that is spliced to the PM transmission fiber section;

a light source configured for injecting a linearly polarized light beam into the PM transmission fiber section, such that the linearly polarized light beam is emitted from the non-PM scanning fiber section;

a mechanical scanning drive assembly to which the non-PM scanning fiber section is affixed, wherein the non-PM scanning fiber section is spliced to the PM transmission fiber section within the mechanical scanning drive assembly, and wherein the mechanical scanning drive assembly is configured for displacing the non-PM scanning fiber section to scan the emitted light beam; and

a display subsystem configured for receiving the scanned light beam and, based on the scanned light beam, displaying an image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a planar waveguide apparatus.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the PM transmission fiber section comprises a cladding having a circularly asymmetrical cross-section.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the PM transmission fiber section comprises a circularly symmetrical cladding, and at least one additional element configured for inducing a strain in the cladding.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical scanning drive assembly and the display are integrated into a head-worn unit, and the light source is contained in a remote control unit configured for being worn by end user remotely from the head-worn unit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured for being worn on the torso of the end user.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured for being worn on the waist of the end user.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the PM transmission fiber section is routed between the remote control unit and the head-worn unit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the non-PM scanning fiber section is entirely affixed within the mechanical scanning drive assembly.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical scanning drive assembly comprises a piezoelectric element in which the non-PM scanning fiber section is mounted.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is configured for being positioned in front of the eyes of the end user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the display has a partially transparent display surface configured for being positioned in the field of view between the eyes of the end user and an ambient environment.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a frame structure configured for being worn by the end user, the frame structure carrying the display and the mechanical scanning drive assembly.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory storing a three-dimensional scene; and

a control subsystem configured for rendering a plurality of synthetic image frames of the three-dimensional scene,

wherein the display subsystem is configured for sequentially displaying the plurality of image frames to the end user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control subsystem comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU).