MULTIPLE WAVEGUIDE IMAGING STRUCTURE

• US 20130322810A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Robbins, Steven John
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2726 in or on light guides, e.g. polarisation means assembled in a light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

In embodiments of a multiple waveguide imaging structure, an imaging structure includes a first waveguide for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view, and includes a second waveguide for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view. The first and second waveguides each include a polarizing beam splitter to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle in the respective first and second waveguides, and the polarizing beam splitters pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle. The imaging structure also includes a polarization switch to rotate the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

Claims

1. An imaging structure, comprising:

a first waveguide configured for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view;

a second waveguide configured for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view;

the first and second waveguides each including a polarizing beam splitter configured to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle in the respective first and second waveguides, and the polarizing beam splitters further configured to pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle; and

a polarization switch configured to cycle the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

2. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the light that enters the first and second waveguides at the first polarization orientation angle is propagated in the respective first and second waveguides; and

the light that enters the first waveguide at the second polarization orientation angle is passed through the first waveguide and is reflected into the second waveguide.

3. An imaging structure as recited in claim 2, further comprising a half waveplate configured to change the light that passes through the first waveguide from the second polarization orientation angle back to the first polarization orientation angle, and wherein the light enters the second waveguide at the first polarization orientation angle.

4. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first field of view of the first waveguide is combined with the second field of view of the second waveguide for a wider field of view.

5. An imaging structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the polarization switch is configured to rotate the polarization of the light to time-sequentially create the wider field of view.

6. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least a third waveguide configured for see-through viewing of the environment at a third field of view, and wherein the first field of view of the first waveguide, the second field of view of the second waveguide, and the third field of view of the at least third waveguide are combined for a wider field of view.

7. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the light is a virtual image that is generated to appear as part of the environment viewed through the imaging structure.

8. A method, comprising:

cycling light through first and second polarization orientation angles;

reflecting the light that enters a first waveguide at the first polarization orientation angle, the first waveguide configured for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view;

passing the light that enters the first waveguide at a second polarization orientation angle through to a second waveguide configured for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view; and

changing the light that passes through the first waveguide from the second polarization orientation angle back to the first polarization orientation angle before the light then enters the second waveguide at the first polarization angle.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

propagating the light in the first waveguide that enters at the first polarization orientation angle; and

propagating the light in the second waveguide that is passed through the first waveguide at the second polarization orientation angle.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising combining the first field of view of the first waveguide with the second field of view of the second waveguide for a wider field of view.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said cycling the light comprises rotating the polarization of the light to time-sequentially create the wider field of view.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising combining a third field of view of at least a third waveguide with the first field of view of the first waveguide and the second field of view of the second waveguide for a wider field of view.

13. A wearable display device, comprising:

left and right display lens systems configured for augmented reality imaging;

left and right imaging units of the respective left and right display lens systems configured to generate an augmented reality image;

each of the left and right imaging units comprising;

a first waveguide configured for see-through viewing of an environment at a first field of view, the first waveguide including a first polarizing beam splitter configured to reflect light that enters at a first polarization orientation angle and pass through the light that enters at a second polarization orientation angle; and

at least a second waveguide configured for see-through viewing of the environment at a second field of view, the second waveguide including a second polarizing beam splitter configured to reflect the light that enters at the first polarization orientation angle and pass through the light that enters at the second polarization orientation angle.

14. A wearable display device as recited in claim 13, further comprising a polarization switch configured to rotate the polarization of the light through the first and second polarization orientation angles.

15. A wearable display device as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the light that enters the first and second waveguides at the first polarization orientation angle is propagated in the respective first and second waveguides; and

the light that enters the first waveguide at the second polarization orientation angle is passed through the first waveguide and is reflected into the second waveguide.

16. A wearable display device as recited in claim 15, further comprising a half waveplate configured to change the light that passes through the first waveguide from the second polarization orientation angle back to the first polarization orientation angle, and wherein the light enters the second waveguide at the first polarization orientation angle.

17. A wearable display device as recited in claim 13, wherein the first field of view of the first waveguide is combined with the second field of view of the second waveguide for a wider field of view.

18. A wearable display device as recited in claim 17, further comprising a polarization switch configured to rotate the polarization of the light to time-sequentially create the wider field of view.

19. A wearable display device as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the left and right imaging units further comprise:

at least a third waveguide configured for see-through viewing of the environment at a third field of view, and wherein the first field of view of the first waveguide, the second field of view of the second waveguide, and the third field of view of the at least third waveguide are combined for a wider field of view.

20. A wearable display device as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the left and right imaging units are configured to generate the light as a virtual image that appears as part of the environment viewed through the left and right display lens systems.