STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAYS WITH ADDRESSABLE FOCUS CUES

• US 20150277129A1
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Hua, Hong, Hu, Xinda
• Granted Patent: US 9,874,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/22 of the stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to stereoscopic displays, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to stereoscopic displays with addressable focus cues. A stereoscopic display system with the addressable focus cues, comprises: a microdisplay for providing a virtual image for display to a user; a reflective active optical element configured to provide a variable optical power; a relay lens disposed along an optical path between the microdisplay and the active optical element, the relay lens positioned therebetween such that the microdisplay and the active optical element are disposed at conjugate planes of the relay lens; a beamsplitter disposed along the optical path between the microdisplay and the active optical element at an orientation to receive optical radiation from the active optical element; and a see-through eyepiece comprising a selected surface configured to receive optical radiation from the beamsplitter and reflect the received radiation to an exit pupil of the system to provide a virtual display path, the selected surface also configured to receive optical radiation from a source other than the microdisplay and to transmit such optical radiation to the exit pupil to provide a see-through optical path.

Claims

1. A virtual display system with addressable focus cues, comprising:

a microdisplay for providing a virtual image for display to a user;

a reflective active optical element configured to provide a variable optical power;

a relay lens disposed along an optical path between the microdisplay and active optical element, the relay lens positioned therebetween such that the microdisplay and active optical element are disposed at conjugate planes of the relay lens;

a beamsplitter disposed along the optical path between the microdisplay and the active optical element at an orientation to receive optical radiation from the active optical element; and

a see-through eyepiece comprising a selected surface configured to receive optical radiation from the beamsplitter and reflect the received radiation to an exit pupil of the system to provide a virtual display path, the selected surface also configured to receive optical radiation from a source other than the microdisplay and to transmit such optical radiation to the exit pupil to provide a see-through optical path.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the eyepiece comprises a freeform prism shape.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the eyepiece comprises a first surface configured to receive and refract optical radiation from the beamsplitter and comprises a second surface configured to receive the refracted optical radiation from the first surface, the second surface configured to reflect the optical radiation to the selected surface of the eyepiece.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein the second surface is configured to total internally reflect the optical radiation.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the surfaces of the eyepiece comprise a rotationally asymmetric surface.

6. The display system of claim 1, comprising an eyepiece compensator disposed along the see-through path adjacent the selected surface of the eyepiece.

7. The display system of claim 1, comprising a field lens disposed adjacent the microdisplay configured to provide magnification of the display.

8. The display system of claim 7, wherein the field lens comprises an aspheric surface and a diffractive optical feature.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the relay lens and active optical element are configured to provide a folded, doubly telecentric system.

10. A virtual display system with addressable focus cues, comprising:

a microdisplay for providing a virtual image for display to a user;

an eyepiece comprising a reflective optical element configured to reflect optical radiation from the microdisplay to an exit pupil of the system;

a relay lens comprising a refractive active optical element configured to provide a variable optical power, the relay lens disposed along an optical path between the microdisplay and the eyepiece to relay an image from the microdisplay to the eyepiece, the relay lens comprising first and second lens groups disposed along the optical path with the active optical element located therebetween; and

a beamsplitter disposed along the optical path between the microdisplay and the eyepiece, the beamsplitter configured to receive and transmit optical radiation from a source other than the microdisplay to the exit pupil to provide a see-through optical path.

11. The display system of claim 10, wherein the eyepiece comprises a spherical mirror.

12. The display system of claim 10, wherein the active optical element comprises a system stop.

13. The display system of claim 10, wherein the system is telecentric in the microdisplay.

14. The display system of claim 10, wherein the system comprises an f-number less than 3.

15. The display system of claim 10, wherein the relay lens comprises a diffractive optical element.