MICRODISPLAY OPTICAL SYSTEM HAVING TWO MICROLENS ARRAYS

• US 20160097930A1
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steven John Robbins, Yarn Chee Poon
• Original Assignee: Steven John Robbins, Yarn Chee Poon
• Inventors: Robbins, Steven John, Poon, Yarn Chee
• Application Number:
  US14/507,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20160097930A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136281 having a transmissive semiconductor substrate

Abstract

The technology provides an optical system for converting a source of projected light to uniform light for a liquid crystal on silicon microdisplay in a confined space, such as in a near-eye display device. The optical system may include a first microlens array, a second microlens array, and a polarizer device disposed between the first microlens array and the second microlens array. The near-eye display device having first and second microlens arrays may be positioned by a support structure in a head-mounted display or head-up display.

Claims

1. An optical system for converting a source of projected light to uniform image light for a liquid crystal on silicon microdisplay in a confined space, the optical system comprising:

a first microlens array;

a second microlens array; and

a polarizer device disposed between the first microlens array and the second microlens array.

2. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the first microlens array comprises:

a first microlens array portion;

a second microlens array portion; and

a gap disposed between the first microlens array portion and the second microlens array portion.

3. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the first microlens array portion includes a plurality of first microlenses.

4. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the second microlens array portion includes a plurality of second microlenses.

5. The optical system of claim 2, wherein the gap comprises a width of 2 mm.

6. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the second microlens array comprises:

a first surface; and

a second surface,

wherein the first surface and the second surface each comprise a plurality of third microlenses.

7. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the polarizer device comprises a polarization converter array.

8. The optical system of claim 7, wherein the polarization converter array comprises a MacNeille beam splitter.

9. The optical system of claim 1, wherein the polarizer device comprises a diffractive grating and a waveplate disposed between the first microlens array and the second microlens array.

10. A method for converting a source of projected light to uniform image light for a liquid crystal on silicon microdisplay in a confined space, the method comprising:

directing the projected light to a first microlens array;

polarizing light from the first microlens array;

directing the polarized light a second microlens array to generate the uniform light; and

directing the uniform light from the second microlens array to the liquid crystal on silicon microdisplay.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein polarizing comprises focusing light from the first microlens array on a polarization converter array.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the polarization converter array comprises a MacNeille beam splitter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein polarizing comprises directing light from the first microlens array to a diffractive grating and a waveplate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the diffractive grating comprises a grating period.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the waveplate comprises a quarter waveplate.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a computer system that provides an electronic signal representing image data; and

a head-mounted display that provides image data in response to the electronic signal, wherein the head-mounted display includes;

a near-eye display device including;

a projection light engine including;

a microdisplay to provide the image data in response to the electronic signal;

a light source to provide projected light;

a first microlens array to receive the projected light from the light source;

a polarizer device to generate polarized light from the first microlens array; and

a second microlens array to receive the polarized light from the polarizer and to provide uniform light to the microdisplay.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first microlens array comprises:

a first microlens array portion;

a second microlens array portion; and

a gap disposed between the first microlens array portion and the second microlens array portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second microlens array comprises:

a first surface; and

a second surface,

wherein the first surface and the second surface each comprise a plurality of third microlenses.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the polarizer device comprises a polarization converter array.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the polarizer device comprises a diffractive grating and a waveplate disposed between the first microlens array and the second microlens array.