Light field display, adjusted pixel rendering method therefor, and vision correction system and method using same

• US 10,636,116 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2019
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evolution Optiks Limited
• Original Assignee: Evolution Optiks Limited
• Inventors: Gotsch, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttram, Todd
• Application Number:
  US16/551,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20200126180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/005 Constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/028 for testing visual acuity; for determination of refraction, e.g. phoropters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0075 with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/50 the image being built up from image elements distributed over a 3D volume, e.g. voxels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/06 Ray-tracing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/03 specially adapted for displays having non-planar surfaces, e.g. curved displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/307 using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/957 Light-field or plenoptic cameras or camera modules

Abstract

A method to automatically adjust user perception of an input image to be rendered on a digital display that has an array of light field shaping elements (LFSE), can include: digitally mapping the input image on a retinal plane of the user, and for each pixel digitally projecting an adjusted image ray trace between said given pixel and a given LFSE to intersect said retinal plane at a given adjusted image location, given an estimated direction of a light field emanated by said given pixel given said given LFSE and a modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace in accordance with a designated eye focus parameter; associating an adjusted image value designated for said given adjusted image location with said given pixel based on said mapping; rendering each said given pixel according to said adjusted image value associated therewith, thereby rendering a perceptively adjusted version of the input image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, automatically implemented by one or more digital processors, to automatically adjust user perception of an input image to be rendered on a digital display via a set of pixels thereof, wherein the digital display includes an array of light field shaping elements (LFSE), the method comprising:

digitally mapping the input image on a retinal plane of the user;

for each given pixel of at least some of said pixels, digitally;

projecting an adjusted image ray trace between said given pixel and a given LFSE to intersect said retinal plane at a given adjusted image location, given an estimated direction of a light field emanated by said given pixel given said given LFSE and a modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace in accordance with a designated eye focus parameter;

associating an adjusted image value designated for said given adjusted image location with said given pixel based on said mapping;

rendering each said given pixel according to said adjusted image value associated therewith, thereby rendering a perceptively adjusted version of the input image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said retinal plane is angled relative to the digital display.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said retinal plane is modeled as a function of an input user pupil or eye location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein said input user pupil or eye location is dynamically acquired via a digitally implemented pupil or eye tracker.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein said angle between said retinal plane and said digital display is dynamically updated based on data received from said pupil or eye tracker.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said angle is dynamically updated based on acquired display inclination data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping is implemented by scaling the input image on said retinal plane as a function of said designated eye focus parameter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said designated eye focus parameter is designated as a function of a quantified abnormal user eye focal length or a corrective eyewear prescription.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace is modelled in accordance with a non-linear eye focus parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital display is defined by a curved surface, and wherein said adjusted image ray trace is computed based on a vector normal to said curved surface for said pixel.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising digital instructions to be implemented by one or more digital processors to automatically adjust user perception of an input image to be rendered on a digital display via a set of pixels thereof, wherein the digital display includes an array of light field shaping elements (LFSE), by:

digitally mapping the input image on a retinal plane of the user;

for each given pixel of at least some of said pixels, digitally;

projecting an adjusted image ray trace between said given pixel and a given LFSE to intersect said retinal plane at a given adjusted image location, given an estimated direction of a light field emanated by said given pixel given said given LFSE and a modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace in accordance with a designated eye focus parameter;

associating an adjusted image value designated for said given adjusted image location with said given pixel based on said mapping;

rendering each said given pixel according to said adjusted image value associated therewith, thereby rendering a perceptively adjusted version of the input image.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said retinal plane is angled relative to the digital display.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said retinal plane is modeled as a function of an input user pupil or eye location that is dynamically acquired via a digitally implemented pupil or eye tracker, wherein said angle between said retinal plane and said digital display is dynamically updated based on data received from said pupil or eye tracker.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein said angle is dynamically updated based on acquired display inclination data.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said mapping is implemented by scaling the input image on said retinal plane as a function of said designated eye focus parameter.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said designated eye focus parameter is designated as a function of a quantified abnormal user eye focal length or a corrective eyewear prescription.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein said modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace is modelled in accordance with a non-linear eye focus parameter.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the digital display is defined by a curved surface, and wherein said adjusted image ray trace is computed based on a vector normal to said curved surface for said pixel.

19. A digital display device operable to automatically adjust user perception of an input image to be rendered thereon, the device comprising:

a digital display medium comprising an array of pixels and operable to render a pixelated image accordingly;

an array of light field shaping elements (LFSE) to shape a light field emanating from at least some of said pixels and thereby at least partially govern a projection thereof from said display medium toward the user; and

a hardware processor operable on pixel data for the input image to output adjusted image pixel data to adjust user perception of the input image as rendered by;

digitally mapping the input image on a retinal plane of the user;

for each given pixel of at least some of said pixels, digitally;

projecting an adjusted image ray trace between said given pixel and a given LFSE to intersect said retinal plane at a given adjusted image location, given an estimated direction of a light field emanated by said given pixel given said given LFSE and a modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace in accordance with a designated eye focus parameter;

associating an adjusted image value designated for said given adjusted image location with said given pixel based on said mapping;

rendering each said given pixel according to said adjusted image value associated therewith, thereby rendering a perceptively adjusted version of the input image.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said retinal plane is angled relative to the digital display.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising a digitally implemented pupil or eye tracker, wherein said retinal plane is modeled as a function of an input user pupil or eye location that is dynamically acquired via said digitally implemented pupil or eye tracker, wherein said angle between said retinal plane and said digital display is dynamically updated based on data received from said pupil or eye tracker.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein said angle is dynamically updated based on acquired display inclination data.

23. The device claim 19, wherein said mapping is implemented by scaling the input image on said retinal plane as a function of said designated eye focus parameter, wherein said designated eye focus parameter is designated as a function of a quantified abnormal user eye focal length or a corrective eyewear prescription.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein said modeled redirection of said adjusted image ray trace is modelled in accordance with a non-linear eye focus parameter.

25. The device of claim 19, wherein said digital display medium defines a curved surface, and wherein said adjusted image ray trace is computed based on a vector normal to said curved surface for said pixel.