OPTICAL CONFIGURATIONS FOR HEAD-WORN SEE-THROUGH DISPLAYS

• US 20160011417A1
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Border, John N., Bietry, Joseph, Haddick, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,366,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0152 involving arrangement aiming to get lighter or better balanced devices
• 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 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for providing a high quality display images in see-through head-worn optics.

Claims

1. An optical system for a head-worn computer, comprising:

a. a polarized light source positioned within the head-worn computer and adapted to project polarized light towards a partially reflective partially transmissive surface such that the polarized light reflects through a field lens and towards a reflective display, wherein the polarized light is converted to a different polarization state after reflecting off a surface of the reflective display, forming image light,

b. wherein the image light is then transmitted through the field lens and then through the partially reflective partially transmissive surface to an eye image display optical system adapted to present the image light to an eye of a user wearing the head-worn computer.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the reflective display is a monochrome reflective display and the polarized light source provides sequential illumination of red, green and blue light to provide a perceived full color image to the eye of the user.

10. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the reflective display is a full color display and the polarized light source provides illumination of white light.

11. The optical system of claim 1, wherein a path of the polarized light is folded once in the head worn computer.

12. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the polarized light and the image light both pass through the field lens but in opposite directions.

13. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the partially reflective partially transmissive surface is a reflective polarizer film that includes a flat surface.

14. The optical system of claim 13, wherein the reflective polarizer film is a thin film of approximately 80 microns.

15. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the eye image display optical system includes a forward facing reflective surface and a reflective optic with optical power, wherein the reflective optic with optical power reflects the image light towards the user'"'"'s eye.

16. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the forward facing reflective surface includes a beam splitter plate and the reflective optic with optical power includes a curved partial mirror.

17. The optical system of claim 16, wherein the image light is provided from behind the rotationally curved partial mirror.

18. The optical system of claim 16, wherein the image light is provided from the side of the rotationally curved partial mirror.

19. The optical system of claim 16, wherein the image light is folded twice in the folded reflective optic.

2. An optical system for a head-worn computer, comprising:

a. an upper optical module adapted to convert illumination into image light by illuminating a reflective display through a field lens, wherein the image light is transmitted back through the field lens, then through a partially reflective partially transmissive surface and into a lower optic module adapted to present the image light to an eye of a user wearing the head-worn computer; and

b. the upper optical module being positioned within a housing for the head-worn computer and having a height of less than 24 mm, as measured from the reflective display to the bottom edge of the rotationally curved partial mirror.

3. An optical system for a head-worn computer, comprising:

a. a polarized light source including a lens with positive optical power positioned in the head-worn computer within an upper optical assembly provides illumination light, wherein the illumination light is projected away from a reflective image source and towards a partially reflective partially transmissive surface and wherein the lens converges the illumination light into a small area in a central region of the partially reflective partially transmissive surface to prevent the illumination light from impinging on sidewalls of the upper optical assembly and thereby reduce scattering;

b. the partially reflective partially transmissive surface positioned to reflect the polarized light through a field lens and towards the reflective display, wherein the field lens expands the illumination light to illuminate an active area of the reflective image source; and

c. an eye image display optical assembly positioned to receive image light reflected from the reflective display, through the field lens and through the partially reflective partially transmissive surface and present the image light to an eye of a user wearing the head-worn computer.

4-8. -8. (canceled)