Apparatus or Method for Projecting Light Internally Towards and Away from an Eye of a User

• US 20160327795A1
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: JARVENPAA, Toni, REPONEN, Erika, LUCERO, Andres, VETEK, Akos
• Granted Patent: US 11,125,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• 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 6/02057 comprising gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

An apparatus including an internal optical projection element configured to project light internally towards an eye of a user of the apparatus; an external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from an eye of the user of the apparatus; and one or more optical engines configured to provide light to the internal optical projection element and the external optical projection element. The apparatus preferably further includes a light guide with diffractive in and out-coupling elements and is configured as a head mounted display

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an internal optical projection element configured to project light internally towards an eye of a user of the apparatus;

an external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from an eye of the user of the apparatus; and

one or more optical engines configured to provide light to the internal optical projection element and the external optical projection element.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a common light guide configured to transfer light from the one or more optical engines to the internal optical projection element and to the external optical projection element.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a first light guide configured to transfer light from an optical engine to the internal optical projection element and a second light guide configured to transfer light from an optical engine to the external optical projection element.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a further internal optical projection element configured to project light internally towards another eye of the user of the apparatus wherein the internal optical projection element and the further internal optical projection element are laterally offset and wherein a first light guide transfers light from an optical engine to both the internal optical projection element and the further internal optical projection element.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a further external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from another eye of the user, wherein the external optical projection element and the further external optical projection element are laterally offset.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the common light guide, the first light guide and/or the second light guide are transparent.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal optical projection element is an out-coupling element and wherein the external optical projection element is an out-coupling element, and wherein the out-coupling elements are diffractive elements.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more optical engines uses one or more in-coupling elements to provide light to one or more light guides that transfer light to the out-coupling elements, and wherein the in-coupling elements are diffractive elements.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein an optical engine is configured to provide light, from different pixels, to the in-coupling element at different angles.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the optical engine comprises optics configured to provide collimated light, and wherein the optical engine comprises a micro-display, a virtual image of which is projected via the internal optical projection element.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a selective optical filter configured to filter light provided by the optical engine.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a further external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from a further eye of the user and comprising a further controllable filter configured to filter light provided by an optical engine, wherein the controllable filter and the further controllable filter are independently controlled.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a controller configured to control projection of light by the external optical projection element, wherein the controller receives input from a camera, or from a pupil movement detector.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling projection of light by the internal optical projection element to form text, colour, or an image.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 configured as a see-through head mounted display, or as a see-through near-eye device.

9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. A method comprising:

controlling one or more optical engines to provide light to an internal optical projection element configured to project light internally towards an eye of the user and to an external optical projection element configured to project light externally away from an eye of the user.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising controlling the one or more optical engines to provide light simultaneously to the internal optical projection element and to the external optical projection element.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising controlling a first optical engine to provide light to the internal optical projection element and to provide light to the external optical projection element.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising controlling one or more first optical engines to provide light to a pair of internal optical projection elements.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20, comprising controlling one or more second optical engines to provide light to a pair of external optical projection elements.

25-32. -32. (canceled)