Method and system for beam expansion in a display device

• US 20060126179A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Levola, Tapani
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/563
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4205 having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4272 having plural diffractive elements positioned sequentially along the optical path
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4277 being separated by an air space
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0016 Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide

Abstract

An exit pupil extender wherein the relative amount of different color components in the exit beam is more consistent with that of the input beam. In order to compensate for the uneven amount in the diffracted color components in the exit beam, the exit pupil extender, comprises a plurality of layers having additional diffraction gratings so as to increase the amount of diffracted light for those color components with a lower amount. Additionally, color filters disposed between layers to reduce the diffracted light components with a higher amount.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

an exit surface section;

an input surface section to admit a light beam, the light beam comprising at least a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component; and

at least a first layer and a second layer, each of the first and second layers comprising a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the first layer for providing a first diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the second layer for providing a second diffracted portion;

at least a part of the first diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the first layer, thereby forming a first part of an exit beam exiting through the exit surface section; and

at least a part of the second diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the second layer, thereby forming a second part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section.

2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam, and the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam.

3. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the admitted light beam further comprises a third wavelength component, said optical device further comprising:

a third layer comprising a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the third layer for providing a third diffracted portion, and

at least a part of the third diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the third layer, thereby forming a third part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section.

4. The optical device of claim 3, wherein

the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam;

the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam; and

the amount of the third wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

5. The optical device of claim 2, further comprising a filter disposed between the first diffractive element in the first layer and the first diffractive element in the second layer so as to reduce the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam.

6. The optical device of claim 4, further comprising a filter disposed between the first diffractive element in the first layer and the first diffractive element in the second layer so as to reduce the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

7. The optical device of claim 6, further comprising another filter disposed between the first diffractive element of the second layer and the first diffractive element of the third layer so as to reduce the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

8. The optical device of claim 6, further comprising another filter disposed between the first diffractive element of the second layer and the first diffractive element of the third layer so as to reduce the amount of the first and second wavelength components in the second part of the exit beam and the amount of the first and second wavelength components in the third part of the exit beam.

9. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second diffractive elements in the first and second layers is a holographic optical element.

10. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second diffractive elements in the first and second layers is a diffractive optical element mechanically or chemically produced.

11. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second diffractive elements in the first, second and third layers is a holographic optical element.

12. The optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second diffractive elements in the first, second and third layers is a diffractive optical element mechanically or chemically produced.

13. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength component has a first wavelength range and the second wavelength component has a second wavelength range longer than the first wavelength range.

14. The optical device of claim 3, wherein the first wavelength component has a first wavelength range, the second wavelength component has a second wavelength range longer than the first wavelength range, and the third wavelength component has a third wavelength range greater than the second wavelength range.

15. The optical device of claim 3, wherein the first wavelength component comprises a blue color wavelength component, the second wavelength component comprises a green color component and the third wavelength component comprises a red color component.

16. A method of improving color uniformity in an exit beam in an optical device, the optical device having

an input surface section to admit a light beam, the light beam comprising at least a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component;

and

an exit surface section for allowing the exit beam to exit the optical device through the exit surface, said method comprising;

providing at least a first layer and second layer in the optical device;

providing a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element on the first layer;

providing a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element on the second layer, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the first layer for providing a first diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the second layer for providing a second diffracted portion;

at least a part of the first diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the first layer, thereby forming a first part of an exit beam exiting through the exit surface section; and

at least a part of the second diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the second layer, thereby forming a second part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section, wherein

the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam, and

the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

disposing a filter between the first diffractive element in the first layer and the first diffractive element in the second layer so as to reduce the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising

providing a third layer adjacent the second layer in the optical device;

providing a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element in the third layer, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is also diffracted in the first diffractive element in the third layer for providing a third diffracted portion, and

at least a part of the third diffractive portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the third layer, thereby forming a third part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section, wherein

the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam;

the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam; and

the amount of the third wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising

disposing a filter between the first diffractive element in the first layer and the first diffractive element in the second layer so as to reduce the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising

disposing another filter between the first diffractive element of the second layer and the first diffractive element of the third layer so as to reduce the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

21. A display module, comprising:

an optical engine for receiving image data;

a display device operatively connected to the optical engine for forming an image based on the image data; and

an exit pupil extender, comprising;

an exit surface section;

an input surface section to admit a light beam, the light beam comprising at least a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component; and

at least a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, each of the first, second and third layers comprises a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the first layer for providing a first diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the second layer for providing a second diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the third layer for providing a third diffracted portion;

at least a part of the first diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the first layer, thereby forming a first part of an exit beam exiting through the exit surface section;

at least a part of the second diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the second layer, thereby forming a second part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section; and

at least a part of the third diffractive portion is further diffracted in the third diffractive element in the third layer, thereby forming a third part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section.

22. The display module of claim 21, wherein

the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam;

the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam; and

the amount of the third wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

23. An electronic device comprising:

a data processing unit;

an optical engine operatively connected to the data processing unit for receiving image data from the data processing unit;

a display device operatively connected to the optical engine for forming an image based on the image data; and

an exit pupil extender, comprising;

an exit surface section;

an input surface section to admit a light beam, the light beam comprising at least a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component; and

at least a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, each of the first, second and third layers comprising a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element, such that

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the first layer for providing a first diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the second layer for providing a second diffracted portion;

at least a part of the admitted light beam is diffracted in the first diffractive element in the third layer for providing a third diffracted protion;

at least a part of the first diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the first layer, thereby forming a first part of an exit beam exiting through the exit surface section;

at least a part of the second diffracted portion is further diffracted in the second diffractive element in the second layer, thereby forming a second part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section; and

at least a part of the third diffractive portion is further diffracted in the third diffractive element in the third layer, thereby forming a third part of the exit beam exiting through the exit surface section.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein

the amount of the first wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the first part of the exit beam;

the amount of the second wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the third wavelength component in the second part of the exit beam; and

the amount of the third wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam is greater than the amount of the first wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam and is also greater than the amount of the second wavelength component in the third part of the exit beam.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, comprising a computer game device.

26. The electronic device of claim 24, comprising a digital camera.

27. The electronic device of claim 24, further comprising a communication unit for receiving signals containing information indicative to the image data, wherein the data processing unit is operatively connected to the communication unit for receiving the information.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, comprising a mobile terminal.