Multi-mode display device

• US 20010055152A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richards, Angus
• Original Assignee: Richards, Angus
• Inventors: Richards, Angus
• Granted Patent: US 6,710,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/462
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• 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 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to various arrangements of optical and electronic components to form a high-resolution helmet mounted display (HMD) or other compact display device. In particular, the current invention is designed in such a way as to allow it to operate utilizing several different kinds of image generation device and to incorporate many different features including the option of “eye tracking”.

Claims

1. A compact display device that is capable of utilizing either reflective or transmissive display technologies for the generation of images for a helmet mounted display device (HMD) or other compact display device.

3. A display device as described in claims 1,2 which generate two separate (stereoscopic) images.

4. A display device as described in claims 1,2 which generates a single monoscopic image.

21. A display device as described in claims 1-3 which consists of two separate optical assemblies as described in claims 5-20 which are used to deliver a separate image to each eye of the user.

22. A display device as described in claims 1-2,4 which consists of a single optical assembly as described in claims 5-20 which is used to deliver an image to one eye of the user.

23. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21 that uses the eye position and direction information from both the left and right eyes to determine the 3-D spatial coordinates of the user'"'"'s gaze.

24. A display device as described in claims 1-4,21-22 that uses the eye position and direction information to determine the “

line-of-sight”

of the user'"'"'s gaze.

25. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21,23,24 that uses the eye position information to automatically adjust the lateral position of optical assemblies 1,2 (as described in claims 5-20) such that the said optical assemblies will be in the optimal position for the display of images to the user.

26. A display device as described in claims 1-2,4,22,24 that uses the eye position information to automatically adjust the lateral position of a single optical assembly as described in claims 5-20 such that the said optical assembly will be in the optimal position for the display of images to the user.

27. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21,23-25 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 that allows for the independent adjustment of the lateral position of mirrors M1, M2 in addition to the lateral adjustment of optical assemblies 1,2 (as described in claims 5-20) such that the said optical assemblies will be in the optimal position for the display of images to the user.

28. A display device as described in claims 1-2,4,22,24,26 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 that allows for the independent adjustment of the lateral position of mirrors M1, M2 in addition to the lateral adjustment of optical assemblies 1,2 (as described in claims 5-20) such that the said optical assemblies will be in the optimal position for the display of images to the user.

29. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21,23-25,27 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 that incorporates some form of electromechanical means for the adjustment of optical assemblies 1,2 (as described in claims 5-20) and/or the independent adjustment of mirrors M1, M2.

30. A display device as described in claims 1-2,4,22,24,26,28 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 that incorporates some form of electromechanical means for the adjustment of a single optical assembly (as described in claims 5-20) and/or the independent adjustment of mirrors M1 or M2.

31. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21,23-25,27,29 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 which consists of two separate optical assemblies as described in claims 5-20 which utilize a single transmissive type display device (such as an AMLCD) positioned between beamsplitter'"'"'s BS3 and BS4 to deliver a separate image to each eye of the user and which may or may not include the reflective display devices RD1, RD2.

32. A display device as described in claims 1-2,4,22,24,26,28,30 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 which consists of a single optical assembly as described in claims 5-20 which utilizes a single transmissive type display device (such as an AMLCD) positioned between beamsplitter'"'"'s BS3 and BS4 to deliver a separate image to each eye of the user and which may or may not include the reflective display devices RD1 or RD2 and which may have the light source LS3 or LS4 projecting light directly through the transmissive display device in a “

back lit”

mode of operation as an alternative to utilizing the beamsplitter BS3 or BS4 to reflect the light onto the transmissive display device.

33. A display device as described in claims 1-3,21,23-25,27,29 and shown in FIGS. 1-7 which consists of two separate optical assemblies as described in claims 5-20 which utilize a single transmissive type display device (such as an AMLCD) positioned between beamsplitter'"'"'s BS3 and BS4 to deliver the same image to each eye of the user and which may or may not include the reflective display devices RD1, RD2.

34. A display device as described in claims 1-6,8-14,16-22,27-33 which does not incorporate the optional components ETC1, F1, LS1, ETC2, F2, LS2.

35. A display device as described in claims 1-7,9-15,17-33 which utilizes one or more light sources LS1, LS2 as shown in FIG. 1, such that the said light sources will produce a strong reflection or reflections from the cornea of the user'"'"'s eye in addition to providing other visual information such as the relative position of the user'"'"'s pupil and/or iris for the purpose of providing the visual information for determining the position and orientation of the user'"'"'s eye.

2. A compact display device that is capable of utilizing a combination of reflective and transmissive display technologies for the generation of images for a helmet mounted display device (HMD) or other compact display device.

5. An optical assembly as shown in FIGS. 1,2 which consists of mirror M1, non-polarized beamsplitter BS1, polarized beamsplitter BS3, eyepiece E1, light source LS3, reflective display device RD1, collimating lens CL1 and optional components consisting of infrared filter F1, camera ETC1, and infrared light sources LS1.

6. An optical assembly (assembly-1) as described in

claim 5

and shown in FIGS. 1,2, in which light from light source LS3 passes through polarizing beamsplitter BS3 and in doing so becomes plane polarized. This plane polarized light is then incident upon collimating lens CL1. This light passes through collimating lens CL1, becoming partially collimated as it does so. This partially collimated light is reflected from the surface of reflective display device RD1 and in doing so alters the plane of polarization of the reflected light according to the state of each individual pixel on the display device. As this reflected light passes once again through collimating lens CL1 it becomes substantially collimated. The reflected light which has undergone a rotation in the plane of polarization then reflects from the hypotenuse of polarizing beamsplitter BS3 and is directed towards beamsplitter BS1. As beamsplitter BS1 is non-polarizing, a portion of the light incident upon it will pass through the beamsplitter towards mirror M1 the other portion of the light will reflect off the hypotenuse of beamsplitter BS1 towards Infrared filter F1. As light source L3 contains no infrared component, this light will be absorbed by F1. The light that strikes concave mirror M1 will form a real image at some distance from M1 such that the light from this image will once again be partially reflected from the hypotenuse of beamsplitter BS1. This reflected light will enter E1 and form an image which is viewable by the user of the HMD.

7. An optical assembly as described in

claim 5

and shown in FIG. 1, in which camera ETC1 generates an image of the user'"'"'s eye which is interpreted by digital processing electronics to determine the position and orientation of the user'"'"'s eye with respect to the eyepiece E1. This information can then be used to determine both the correct inter-ocular spacing for the eyepieces and the line of sight for the left eye.

8. An optical assembly as described in

claim 5

and shown in FIG. 3, in which camera ETC1, infrared filter F1 and light sources LS1 are replaced with correctional optics assembly CO1. This optics assembly which consists of a lens or group of lenses is designed to generate a real image of the “

real world”

which will then be optically combined “

superimposed”

with the projected image from optical assembly 1 by virtue of beamsplitter BS1.

9. An optical assembly as described in claims 5-6 and shown in FIG. 4 such that polarizing beamsplitter BS3 is replaced with a non-polarizing beamsplitter and additional plane polarizers P1, P3 are placed between light source LS3 and the beamsplitter BS3 and between the beamsplitter BS3 and beamsplitter BS1 respectively, to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

10. An optical assembly as described in claims 5-6 and shown in FIG. 5 such that polarizing beamsplitter BS3 is replaced with a non-polarizing beamsplitter and an additional plane polarizer P1 is placed between beamsplitter BS3 and the reflective display device RD1 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

11. An optical assembly as described in claims 5-6 and shown in FIG. 6 such that concave mirror M1 is replaced by a combination of lens or lens elements FL1 and plane mirror M1 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

12. An optical assembly as described in claims 5-6 and shown in FIG. 7 such that non-polarizing beamsplitter BS1 is replaced with a polarizing beamsplitter and an additional phase retarder PR1 is placed between beamsplitter BS1 and mirror M1 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

13. An optical assembly as shown in FIGS. 1,2 which consists of mirror M2, non-polarized beamsplitter BS2, polarized beamsplitter BS4, eyepiece E2, light source LS2, reflective display device RD2, collimating lens CL2 and optional components consisting of infrared filter F2, camera ETC2, and infrared light sources LS2.

14. An optical assembly (assembly-2) as described in

claim 13

and shown in FIGS. 1,2, in which light from light source LS4 passes through polarizing beamsplitter BS4 and in doing so becomes plane polarized. This plane polarized light is then incident upon collimating lens CL2. This light passes through collimating lens CL2, becoming partially collimating as it does so. This partially collimated light is reflected from the surface of reflective display device RD2 and in doing so alters the plane of polarization of the reflected light according to the state of each individual pixel on the display device. As this reflected light passes once again through collimating lens CL2 it becomes substantially collimated. The reflected light which has undergone a rotation in the plane of polarization then reflects from the hypotenuse of polarizing beamsplitter BS4 and is directed towards beamsplitter BS2. As beamsplitter BS2 is non-polarizing, a portion of the light incident upon it will pass through the beamsplitter towards mirror M2 the other portion of the light will reflect off the hypotenuse of beamsplitter BS2 towards Infrared filter F2. As light source L4 contains no infrared component, this light will be absorbed by F2. The light that strikes concave mirror M2 will form a real image at some distance from M2 such that the light from this image will once again be partially reflected from the hypotenuse of beamsplitter BS2. This reflected light will enter E2 and form an image which is viewable by the user of the HMD.

15. An optical assembly as described in

claim 13

and shown in FIG. 1, in which camera ETC2 generates an image of the user'"'"'s eye which is interpreted by digital processing electronics to determine the position and orientation of the user'"'"'s eye with respect to the eyepiece E2. This information can then be used to determine both the correct inter-ocular spacing for the eyepieces and the line of sight for the right eye.

16. An optical assembly as described in

claim 13

and shown in FIG. 3, in which camera ETC2, infrared filter F2 and light sources LS2 are replaced with correctional optics assembly CO2. This optics assembly which consists of a lens or group of lenses is designed to generate a real image of the “

real world”

which will then be optically combined “

superimposed”

with the projected image from optical assembly-2 by virtue of beamsplitter BS2.

17. An optical assembly as described in claims 13,14 and shown in FIG. 4 such that polarizing beamsplitter BS4 is replaced with a non-polarizing beamsplitter and additional plane polarizers P2, P4 are placed between light source LS4 and the beamsplitter BS2 and between the beamsplitter BS4 and beamsplitter BS2 respectively, to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

18. An optical assembly as described in claims 13,14 and shown in FIG. 5 such that polarizing beamsplitter BS4 is replaced with a non-polarizing beamsplitter and an additional plane polarizer P2 is placed between beamsplitter BS4 and the reflective display device RD1 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

19. An optical assembly as described in claims 13,14 and shown in FIG. 6 such that concave mirror M2 is replaced by a combination of lens or lens elements FL2 and plane mirror M2 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

20. An optical assembly as described in claims 13,14 and shown in FIG. 7 such that non-polarizing beamsplitter BS2 is replaced with a polarizing beamsplitter and an additional phase retarder PR2 is placed between beamsplitter BS2 and mirror M2 to achieve a similar optical characteristic.

36. An eye tracking module which utilizes the optical configuration as described in claims, 5-7,13-15,35 and shown in FIG. 1 which can determine both the position and orientation of an individual eye of the user and from this information can calculate both the mis-alignment between the eyepiece optics E1,E2 and the viewer'"'"'s eye and the “

line-of-sight”

for that particular eye

37. An eye tracking system which utilizes two separate “

eye-tracking”

modules as described in

claim 36

which can calculate both the inter-ocular spacing of the particular user wearing the display system and can determine the 3-D spatial coordinates of the user'"'"'s gaze.