DYNAMIC ZONE PLATE AUGMENTED VISION EYEGLASSES

• US 20140198128A1
• Filed: 01/13/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: HONG, John H., LEE, Chong U., CHANG, Tallis Y., DALEY, Robert Sean, KIM, Frederick D., MA, Jian J., YUN, Jay C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,842,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0147 comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for modulating optics in a display are provided. An apparatus forms a plurality of zone plates in a liquid crystal using electric fields. Each zone plate has a center, and the centers are aligned along a first axis of the display. The apparatus moves the plurality of zone plates in a first direction along a second axis of the display different from the first axis of the display, while maintaining alignment of the centers of the plurality of zone plates along the first axis. Such movement is provided through repositioning of electric fields through the liquid crystal.

Claims

1. A method of generating a retina image by modulating optics in a retina display, comprising:

forming a plurality of zone plates in a liquid crystal using electric fields, each zone plate having a center, wherein the centers are aligned along a first axis of the display; and

moving, by repositioning electric fields through the liquid crystal, the plurality of zone plates in a first direction along a second axis of the display different from the first axis of the display, while maintaining alignment of the centers of the plurality of zone plates along the first axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a plurality of zone plates comprises establishing electric fields between a plurality of electrode sets on a first side of the liquid crystal and an electrode set on a second side of the liquid crystal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrodes of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side are substantially orthogonal to the electrodes of the electrodes set on the second side.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing electric fields comprises:

applying a set of voltages of varying values to each of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side; and

applying a set of voltages of varying values to the electrode set on the second side.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

each set of voltages applied to an electrode set defines a chirp distribution having a chirp center corresponding to a first-side electrode, in the case of voltages applied to electrode sets on the first side, or a second-side electrode in the case of voltages applied to the electrode set on the second side; and

intersections of a first chirp distribution applied to an electrodes set on the first side and a second chirp applied to the electrode set on the second side define a respective center for one of the plurality of zone plates.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the plurality of zone plates comprises:

shifting at least one chirp distribution applied to an electrode set on the first side so that a corresponding first-side chirp center changes, while maintaining the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center is unchanged.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein moving the plurality of zone plates comprises shifting the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center changes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone plates are moved at intervals sufficient to form a gapless retina image on an eye retina.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising aligning the retina image with a real-world scene visible through the display to form an augmented vision.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a focusing power of the plurality of zone plates to accommodate for a vision correction need of a user of the display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the focusing power of the plurality of zone plates comprises applying customized chirp distributions to one or more sets of electrodes.

12. An apparatus for generating a retina image by modulating optics in a display, comprising:

means for forming a plurality of zone plates in a liquid crystal using electric fields, each zone plate having a center, wherein the centers are aligned along a first axis of the display; and

means for moving, by repositioning electric fields through the liquid crystal, the plurality of zone plates in a first direction along a second axis of the display different from the first axis of the display, while maintaining alignment of the centers of the plurality of zone plates along the first axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for forming a plurality of zone plates comprises means for establishing electric fields between a plurality of electrode sets on a first side of the liquid crystal and an electrode set on a second side of the liquid crystal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the electrodes of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side are substantially orthogonal to the electrodes of the electrodes set on the second side.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for establishing electric fields is configured to:

applying a set of voltages of varying values to each of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side; and

applying a set of voltages of varying values to the electrode set on the second side.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

each set of voltages applied to an electrode set defines a chirp distribution having a chirp center corresponding to a first-side electrode, in the case of voltages applied to electrode sets on the first side, or a second-side electrode in the case of voltages applied to the electrode set on the second side; and

intersections of a first chirp distribution applied to an electrodes set on the first side and a second chirp applied to the electrode set on the second side define a respective center for one of the plurality of zone plates.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for moving the plurality of zone plates is configured to shift at least one chirp distribution applied to an electrode set on the first side so that a corresponding first-side chirp center changes, while maintaining the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center is unchanged.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for moving the plurality of zone plates is configured to shift the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center changes.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for moving the plurality of zone plates is configured to move the zone plates at intervals sufficient to form a gapless retina image on an eye retina.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for aligning the retina image with a real-world scene visible through the display to form an augmented vision.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for controlling a focusing power of the plurality of zone plates to accommodate for a vision correction need of a user of the display.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for controlling the focusing power of the plurality of zone plates is configured to applying customized chirp distributions to one or more sets of electrodes.

23. An apparatus for generating a retina image by modulating optics in a retina display, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

form a plurality of zone plates in a liquid crystal using electric fields, each zone plate having a center, wherein the centers are aligned along a first axis of the display; and

move, by repositioning electric fields through the liquid crystal, the plurality of zone plates in a first direction along a second axis of the display different from the first axis of the display, while maintaining alignment of the centers of the plurality of zone plates along the first axis.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing system is configured to form a plurality of zone plates by establishing electric fields between a plurality of electrode sets on a first side of the liquid crystal and an electrode set on a second side of the liquid crystal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the electrodes of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side are substantially orthogonal to the electrodes of the electrodes set on the second side.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processing system is configured to establish electric fields by:

applying a set of voltages of varying values to each of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side; and

applying a set of voltages of varying values to the electrode set on the second side.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

each set of voltages applied to an electrode set defines a chirp distribution having a chirp center corresponding to a first-side electrode, in the case of voltages applied to electrode sets on the first side, or a second-side electrode in the case of voltages applied to the electrode set on the second side; and

intersections of a first chirp distribution applied to an electrodes set on the first side and a second chirp applied to the electrode set on the second side define a respective center for one of the plurality of zone plates.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processing system is configured to move the plurality of zone plates by shifting at least one chirp distribution applied to an electrode set on the first side so that a corresponding first-side chirp center changes, while maintaining the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center is unchanged.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processing system is configured to move the plurality of zone plates by shifting the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center changes.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing system is configured to move the zone plates at intervals sufficient to form a gapless retina image on an eye retina.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing system is further configured to align the retina image with a real-world scene visible through the display to form an augmented vision.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing system is further configured to control a focusing power of the plurality of zone plates to accommodate for a vision correction need of a user of the display.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processing system is further configured to control the focusing power of the plurality of zone plates by applying customized chirp distributions to one or more sets of electrodes.

34. A computer program product for generating a retina image by modulating optics in a retina display, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

forming a plurality of zone plates in a liquid crystal using electric fields, each zone plate having a center, wherein the centers are aligned along a first axis of the display; and

moving, by repositioning electric fields through the liquid crystal, the plurality of zone plates in a first direction along a second axis of the display different from the first axis of the display, while maintaining alignment of the centers of the plurality of zone plates along the first axis.

35. The product of claim 34, further comprising code for establishing electric fields between a plurality of electrode sets on a first side of the liquid crystal and an electrode set on a second side of the liquid crystal.

36. The product of claim 35, wherein the electrodes of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side are substantially orthogonal to the electrodes of the electrodes set on the second side.

37. The product of claim 35, further comprising code for:

applying a set of voltages of varying values to each of the plurality of electrode sets on the first side; and

applying a set of voltages of varying values to the electrode set on the second side.

38. The product of claim 37, wherein:

each set of voltages applied to an electrode set defines a chirp distribution having a chirp center corresponding to a first-side electrode, in the case of voltages applied to electrode sets on the first side, or a second-side electrode in the case of voltages applied to the electrode set on the second side; and

intersections of a first chirp distribution applied to an electrodes set on the first side and a second chirp applied to the electrode set on the second side define a respective center for one of the plurality of zone plates.

39. The product of claim 38, further comprising code for shifting at least one chirp distribution applied to an electrode set on the first side so that a corresponding first-side chirp center changes, while maintaining the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center is unchanged.

40. The product of claim 38, further comprising code for shifting the chirp distribution applied to the electrode set on the second side so that the second-side chirp center changes.

41. The product of claim 34, comprising code for moving the zone plates at intervals sufficient to form a gapless retina image on an eye retina.

42. The product of claim 34, comprising code for aligning the retina image with a real-world scene visible through the display to form an augmented vision.

43. The product of claim 34, comprising code for controlling a focusing power of the plurality of zone plates to accommodate for a vision correction need of a user of the display.

44. The product of claim 43, further comprising code for applying customized chirp distributions to one or more sets of electrodes to control the focusing power.