SEE-THROUGH COMPUTER DISPLAY SYSTEMS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A compact optics module for a head mounted display including a reflective liquid crystal image source comprising:
- a. a polarized light source that shares a first optical axis with the reflective liquid crystal image source along which the light source provides polarized illuminating light to the reflective liquid crystal image source which then converts the polarized illuminating light to polarized image light;
b. a beam splitter;
c. at least one lens element;
d. a combiner;
e. wherein the reflective liquid crystal image source and the polarized light source are positioned opposite one another along a common first optical axis that passes through the beam splitter;
f. wherein the beam splitter is angled to reflect the polarized image light along a second optical axis that is common to the lens element and passes through the combiner;
g. wherein the combiner reflects the polarized image light and simultaneously transmits unpolarized light from a surrounding environment along a third optical axis that proceeds to a user'"'"'s eye to provide a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the surrounding environment; and
h. the first optical axis is perpendicular to both the second and third optical axes.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display optics.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A compact optics module for a head mounted display including a reflective liquid crystal image source comprising:
-
a. a polarized light source that shares a first optical axis with the reflective liquid crystal image source along which the light source provides polarized illuminating light to the reflective liquid crystal image source which then converts the polarized illuminating light to polarized image light; b. a beam splitter; c. at least one lens element; d. a combiner; e. wherein the reflective liquid crystal image source and the polarized light source are positioned opposite one another along a common first optical axis that passes through the beam splitter; f. wherein the beam splitter is angled to reflect the polarized image light along a second optical axis that is common to the lens element and passes through the combiner; g. wherein the combiner reflects the polarized image light and simultaneously transmits unpolarized light from a surrounding environment along a third optical axis that proceeds to a user'"'"'s eye to provide a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the surrounding environment; and h. the first optical axis is perpendicular to both the second and third optical axes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for providing a compact optics module for a head mounted display comprising:
-
a. providing illumination light from a light source along a first optical axis and toward a reflective image source; b. Reflecting the illuminating light from the reflective image source and thereby providing image light along the first optical axis; c. providing an angled beam splitter on the first optical axis to redirect the image light along a second optical axis; and d. passing the image light through one or more lens elements along the second optical axis to provide image light over a field of view; and e. providing an angled combiner on the second optical axis to redirect the image light and transmit unpolarized light from the environment thereby providing a view of a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment along a third optical axis, wherein the first optical axis is perpendicular to both the second and third optical axes. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12-61. -61. (canceled)
Specification