SEE-THROUGH COMPUTER DISPLAY SYSTEMS

• US 20150309314A1
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Border, John N., Bietry, Joseph, Haddick, John D.
• Application Number:
  US14/668,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20150309314A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/1253 curable adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/42 Polarizing, birefringent, filtering
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/00 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/08 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1284 Application of adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/24 with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate B32B37/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0008 Electrical discharge treatment, e.g. corona, plasma treatment; wave energy or particle radiation heat treatment B32B38/0036
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0116 comprising devices for correcting chromatic aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/142 Coating structures, e.g. thin films multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133602 : Direct backlight
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 : in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 : Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 : for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display with improved optics.

Claims

1. A head-worn display with folded optics for providing a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of a surrounding environment, comprising:

a. a combiner that provides a see-through view of a surrounding environment and simultaneously redirects an image light toward a user'"'"'s eye to provide the overlaid displayed image;

b. a light source that illuminates the user'"'"'s eye;

c. a camera that captures images of the user'"'"'s eye comprised of light reflected by the user'"'"'s eye when the user views the displayed image overlaid onto the see-through view; and

d. wherein the light source provides infrared light and the camera is sensitive to infrared light.

2. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein a portion of the combiner includes a hot mirror coating that is reflective to the infrared light and transmissive to visible light.

3. The head-worn display of claim 2 wherein the camera is positioned to a side of the combiner.

4. The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a partial mirror coating that reflects a portion of the image light.

5. The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a notch mirror coating that reflects a portion of the image light.

6. The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a holographic optical element that reflects a portion of the image light.

7. The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the light source is positioned to a side of the combiner.

8. The head-worn display of claim 1 wherein the combiner includes a waveguide to convey the image light from an image source to a display area.

9. The head-worn display of claim 8 wherein the waveguide includes an angled partial reflector that redirects a portion of the image light for viewing by the user and also redirects a portion of the light reflected by the user'"'"'s eye for capture by the camera.

10. The head-worn display of claim 9 wherein the image light and the light reflected by the user'"'"'s eye are coaxial.

11. The head-worn display of claim 10 wherein the waveguide includes a first partial reflector to redirect a portion of the image light along the waveguide while transmitting a portion of the light reflected by the user'"'"'s eye to the camera and a second partial reflector to redirect a portion of the image light toward the user'"'"'s eye and also redirect a portion of the light reflected by the user'"'"'s eye along the waveguide.

12. The head-worn display of claim 11 wherein the light source is directed along the waveguide and a portion of the light redirected toward the user'"'"'s eye by the second partial reflector.

13. The head-worn display of claim 3 wherein the combiner includes a waveguide to convey the image light from an image source to a display area.

14. The head-worn display of claim 13 wherein the illuminating light is conveyed by the waveguide from the light source to illuminate the user'"'"'s eye.

15. The head-worn display of claim 14 wherein the combiner includes a holographic optical element that redirects the image light towards the user'"'"'s eye.

16. The head-worn display of claim 2 wherein the coating reflects greater than 80% of the infrared light and transmits greater than 50% of visible light.