DISPLAY UNIT, AND DISPLAYING METHOD FOR THE BINOCULAR REPRESENTATION OF A MULTICOLOR IMAGE

• US 20100134534A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Ruoff, Johannes, Seesselberg, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 8,681,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

A display unit for binocular representation of a multicolor image including a control unit triggering an imaging element such that the imaging element generates in a temporal successive manner the image to be displayed for a first beam path and a second beam path as a first image and second image, respectively. The images are generated in a pre-distorted manner, opposite of the chromatic aberration of the respective beam path, such that the chromatic aberration generated in the respective beam path is compensated when the first and second image is displayed. The display unit includes a switching module which operates in temporal synchrony with the first and second image being generated, such that a user can see the first image only via the first beam path and the second image only via the second beam path.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A display unit for binocular representation of a multicolor image, comprising:

a single imaging element, by which the multicolor image that is to be represented is generated;

a projection lens system including a collimation lens;

a transparent substrate located after the collimation lens including a diffractive injection element and a first and a second diffractive extraction elements arranged at a distance from each other;

a control unit coupled to and triggering the imaging element;

the display unit defining a first beam path which extends from the imaging element to the first extraction element via the collimation lens and the injection element through the substrate, and via the first extraction element out of the substrate, and a second beam path that extends from the imaging element to the second extraction element via the collimation lens and the injection element through the substrate, and via the second extraction element out of the substrate, with different chromatic aberrations being generated in the first and second beam path because of the injection element and the first and second extraction elements;

wherein the control unit triggers the imaging element such that the imaging element generates in a temporal successive manner the image to be displayed for the first beam path and the second beam path as a first image and second image, respectively, in a pre-distorted manner, opposite of the chromatic aberration of the respective beam path, such that the chromatic aberration generated in the respective beam path is compensated when the first and second image is displayed; and

wherein the display unit further comprises a switching module the operates in temporal synchrony with the first and second image being generated such that a user can see the first image only via the first beam path and the second image only via the second beam path.

16. The display unit according to claim 15, wherein light from the imaging element is guided in the first and second beam path in the substrate each by total internal total reflection.

17. The display unit according to claim 15, wherein the switching module comprises a first and second triggerable stop in each of the first and second beam path, the first and second stop being switched over synchronously to the generation of the respective first and second image between blocking and passing.

18. The display unit according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second stops causes the switching over by changing the polarization state of the light of the first or second image.

19. The display unit according to claim 15, wherein the switching module comprises a polarization element located after the imaging element and which maintains the first polarization state of light coming from the imaging element or changes to a second polarization state, and a λ

/2 plate arranged in one of the first or second beam path between the imaging element and the injection element, and the injection element being arranged such that the injection element transfers only light of the first or second polarization state into the respective beam path.

20. The display unit according to claim 15, wherein the switching module comprises a polarization element located after the imaging element and the switching module operates such that the polarization state of the first image is different from the polarization state of the second image, and wherein the injection element is arranged such that only light of the first polarization state is transferred into the first beam path and only light of the second polarization state into the second beam path.

21. The display unit according to claim 15, wherein the substrate comprises a substantially planar plate.

22. A displaying method for binocular representation of a multicolor image for a display unit, comprising:

utilizing a display unit comprising

a single imaging element, by which the multicolor image that is to be represented is generated;

a projection lens system including a collimation lens;

a transparent substrate located after the collimation lens including a diffractive injection element and a first and a second diffractive extraction elements arranged at a distance from each other;

a control unit coupled to and triggering the imaging element;

the display unit defining a first beam path which extends from the imaging element to the first extraction element via the collimation lens and the injection element through the substrate, and via the first extraction element out of the substrate, and a second beam path that extends from the imaging element to the second extraction element via the collimation lens and the injection element through the substrate, and via the second extraction element out of the substrate, with different chromatic aberrations being generated in the first and second beam path because of the injection element and the extraction elements;

triggering the imaging element to generate the image to be displayed for the first beam path and the second beam path in temporal succession as a first image and second image, respectively, in a pre-distorted manner that is opposite of the chromatic aberration of the respective beam path such that the chromatic aberration generated in the respective beam path is compensated when the first and second image is displayed, and

temporally synchronizing with the first and second image being generated, such that a user can see the first image only via the first beam path and the second image only via the second beam path.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising guiding light in the first and second beam path in the substrate each by total internal reflection.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising arranging a first and second triggerable stop in each of the first and second beam path;

and

switching the first and second stop over synchronously to the generation of the respective first and second image between blocking and passing.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second triggerable stops causes the switching over by changing the polarization state of the light of the first or second image.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising alternately maintaining the first polarization state of the light coming from the imaging element with a polarization element arranged after the imaging element or changing to a second polarization state with the polarization element, and arranging a λ

/2 plate in one of the two beam paths between the imaging element and the injection element, with the injection element being arranged such that it transfers only light of the first or second polarization state into the respective beam path.

27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising arranging a polarization element after the imaging element, wherein the polarization element operates such that the polarization state of the first image differs from the polarization state of the second image, and arranging the injection element being such that only light of the first polarization state is transferred in the first beam path and only light of the second polarization state in the second beam path.

28. The method according to claim 22, further comprising utilizing a planar plate as the substrate.