APPARATUS FOR OPTICAL SEE-THROUGH HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY WITH MUTUAL OCCLUSION AND OPAQUENESS CONTROL CAPABILITY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (200), capable of combining a see-through path (207) with a virtual view path (205) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
- a. a microdisplay (250) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (205) associated therewith;
b. a spatial light modulator (240) for modifying the light from an external scene in the real world to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded, the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (207) associated therewith;
c. an objective optics (220) configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (240)d. a ‘
beamsplitter (230) configured to merge a virtual image from a microdisplay (250) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a spatial light modulator, producing a combined image;
e. an eyepiece (210) configured to magnify the combined image;
f. an exit pupil (202) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes a combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view;
g. a plurality of reactive surfaces configured to fold the virtual view path (205) and see-through path (207) into two layers;
wherein the first reflective surface (MI) is disposed upon the front layer of the display oriented to reflect light from the external scene, wherein the objective optics (220) is disposed upon the front layer of the display, wherein the second reflective surface (M2) is disposed upon the front layer of the display oriented to reflect light into the spatial light modulator, where the spatial light modulator (240) is disposed at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path (207), in optical communication with the objective optics (220) and the eyepiece (210) through the beamsplitter (230) along the see-through path (207), where the microdisplay (250) is disposed at the focal plane of the eyepiece (210) along the virtual view path (205), in optical communication with the eyepiece (210) through the beamsplitter (230), where the, beam splitter (230) is disposed such that the see-through path (207) is merged with the virtual view path (205) and the light from both the see-through path and the virtual view path is directed to the eyepiece (210), wherein the eyepiece (210) is disposed upon the back layer of the display, wherein the third reflective surface (M3) is disposed upon the back layer of the display oriented to reflect light from the eyepiece into the exit pupil (202);
whereupon the objective optics (220) receives light of the external scene, whereupon the objective optics (220) focus the light of the external scene and forms a see-through image upon the spatial light modulator (240), whereupon the spatial light modulator (240) modifies the see-through image to remove portions of the image that are to be occluded, whereupon the microdisplay (250) projects a virtual image to the beam splitter (230), whereupon the spatial light modulator (240) transmits the modulated see-through image to the beam splitter (230), whereupon the beam splitter (230) merges the two images producing a combined image in which the virtual image occludes portions of the see-through image, whereupon the beam splitter (230) projects the combined image to the eyepiece (210), whereupon the eyepiece projects the combined image to the exit pupil (202), whereupon the user Observes the combined image, in which the virtual image occludes portions of the external scene.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention comprises a compact optical see-through head-mounted display capable of combining, a see-through image path with a virtual image path such that the opaqueness of the see-through image path can be modulated and the virtual image occludes parts of the see-through image and vice versa.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (200), capable of combining a see-through path (207) with a virtual view path (205) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (250) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (205) associated therewith; b. a spatial light modulator (240) for modifying the light from an external scene in the real world to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded, the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (207) associated therewith; c. an objective optics (220) configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (240) d. a ‘
beamsplitter (230) configured to merge a virtual image from a microdisplay (250) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a spatial light modulator, producing a combined image;e. an eyepiece (210) configured to magnify the combined image; f. an exit pupil (202) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes a combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; g. a plurality of reactive surfaces configured to fold the virtual view path (205) and see-through path (207) into two layers; wherein the first reflective surface (MI) is disposed upon the front layer of the display oriented to reflect light from the external scene, wherein the objective optics (220) is disposed upon the front layer of the display, wherein the second reflective surface (M2) is disposed upon the front layer of the display oriented to reflect light into the spatial light modulator, where the spatial light modulator (240) is disposed at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path (207), in optical communication with the objective optics (220) and the eyepiece (210) through the beamsplitter (230) along the see-through path (207), where the microdisplay (250) is disposed at the focal plane of the eyepiece (210) along the virtual view path (205), in optical communication with the eyepiece (210) through the beamsplitter (230), where the, beam splitter (230) is disposed such that the see-through path (207) is merged with the virtual view path (205) and the light from both the see-through path and the virtual view path is directed to the eyepiece (210), wherein the eyepiece (210) is disposed upon the back layer of the display, wherein the third reflective surface (M3) is disposed upon the back layer of the display oriented to reflect light from the eyepiece into the exit pupil (202); whereupon the objective optics (220) receives light of the external scene, whereupon the objective optics (220) focus the light of the external scene and forms a see-through image upon the spatial light modulator (240), whereupon the spatial light modulator (240) modifies the see-through image to remove portions of the image that are to be occluded, whereupon the microdisplay (250) projects a virtual image to the beam splitter (230), whereupon the spatial light modulator (240) transmits the modulated see-through image to the beam splitter (230), whereupon the beam splitter (230) merges the two images producing a combined image in which the virtual image occludes portions of the see-through image, whereupon the beam splitter (230) projects the combined image to the eyepiece (210), whereupon the eyepiece projects the combined image to the exit pupil (202), whereupon the user Observes the combined image, in which the virtual image occludes portions of the external scene. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (300), capable of combining a see-through path (307) with a virtual view path (305) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (350) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (305) associated therewith; b. a reflection-type spatial light modulator (340) for modifying the light from an external scene in the real world to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded, the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (307) associated therewith; c. an objective optics (320), facing an external scene, configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (340) where the objective optics is a one-reflection freeform prism comprising three optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S4, reflective surface S5 and refractive surface So;d. a beamsplitter (330) configured to merge a digitally generated virtual image from a microdisplay (350) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a spatial light modulator, producing a combined image; e. an eyepiece (310) configured to magnify the combined image, where the eyepiece is a one-reflection freeform prism comprising three optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface Si, reflective surface S2 and refractive surface S3;f. an exit pupil (302) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes the combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; g. a roof mirror (325) configured to reflect light from the external scene into the objective optics, where the roof mirror adds an additional reflection to revert the see-through view so as to maintain the parity between the external scene and the see-through view presented to the viewer; wherein the mirror (325) is disposed upon the front layer (315) of the display, wherein the objective optics (320) is disposed upon the front layer (315) of the display, where the spatial light modulator (340) is disposed on the back layer (317) of the display, at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path, facing a side of the beam splitter (330), where the microdisplay (350) is disposed on the back layer (317) of the display, facing a different side of the beam splitter (330), where the beam splitter (330) is disposed such that the see-through path (307) is merged with the virtual view path (305) and the light from the merged path is directed to the eyepiece (310), wherein the eyepiece (210) is disposed upon the back layer (317) of the display, whereupon the incoming light from an external scene reflected by the minor (325), enters the objective optics (320) through the refractive surface 54, then is reflected by the reflective surface S5 and exits objective prism (320) through the refractive surface S6 and forms an intermediate image at its focal plane on the spatial light modulator (340), whereupon the spatial light modulator (340) modulates the light in the see-through path to occlude portions of the see-through view, whereupon the spatial light modulator reflects the modulated light into the beam splitter (330), whereupon the light from the microdisplay (350) enters the beam splitter (330), whereupon the beamsplitter (330) merges the modulated light in the see-through path (307) with the light in the virtual view path (305) and folds toward the eyepiece (310) for viewing, whereupon the light from the beam splitter enters the eyepiece (310) through the refractive surface S3, then is reflected by the reflective surface S2 and exits the eyepiece (310) through the refractive surface 51 and reaches the exit pupil (302), where the viewer'"'"'s eye is aligned to see a combined view of a virtual view and a modulated see-through view.
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39. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (400), capable of combining a see-through path (407) with a virtual view path (405) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (450) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (405) associated therewith; b. a reflection-type spatial light modulator (440) for modifying the light from an external scene to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded, the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (407) associated therewith; c. an Objective optics (420), facing an external scene, configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (440), where the objective optics (420) is a four-reflection freeform prism, comprising six optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S4, reflective surfaces S5, S4′
, S5′
, and S6 and refractive surface S7, where the objective optics is configured to form an intermediate image inside the objective optics;d. a beamsplitter (430) configured to merge a digitally generated virtual image from a. microdisplay (450) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a. spatial light modulator (440), producing a combined image; e. an eyepiece (410) configured to magnify the combined image, where the eyepiece (410) is a. two-reflection freeform prism, comprising four optical freeform surfaces, refractive surface S1, reflective surface S2, reflective surface S1′ and
refractive surface S3;f. an exit pupil (402) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes the combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; wherein the objective optics (420) is disposed upon the front layer (415) of the display, where the spatial light modulator (440) is disposed on the back layer (417) of the display at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path, facing a side of the beam splitter (430), where the microdisplay (450) is disposed on the back layer (415) of the display, facing a different side of the beam splitter (430), where the beam splitter (430) is disposed such that the see-through path (407) is merged with the virtual view path (405) and the light from the merged path is directed to the eyepiece (410), wherein the eyepiece (410) is disposed upon the back layer (417) of the display, whereupon the incoming light from the external scene enters the objective optics (420) through the refractive surface S4, then is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S5, S4″
, S5′ and
S6, and exits the objective prism (420) through the refractive surface S7, whereupon the incoming light forms an intermediate image at its focal plane on the spatial light modulator (440), whereupon the spatial light modulator modulates the light in the see-through path to occlude portions of the see-through view, whereupon the spatial light modulator reflects the modulated light into the beam splitter (430), whereupon the light from the microdisplay (450) enters the beam splitter (430), whereupon the beamsplitter (430) merges the modulated light in the see-through path (407) with the light in the virtual view path (405) and folds toward the eyepiece (410) for viewing, whereupon the light from the beam splitter enters the eyepiece (410) through the refractive surface 53, then is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S1′ and
S2, and exits the eyepiece (410) through the refractive surface S1 and reaches the exit pupil (402), where the viewer'"'"'s eye is aligned to see a combined view of see a combined view of a virtual view and a modulated see-through view.- View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (500), capable of combining a. see-through path (507) with a virtual view path (505) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (550) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (505) associated therewith; b. a transmission-type spatial light modulator (540) for modifying the light from an external scene to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (507) associated therewith; c. an Objective optics (520), facing an external scene, configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (540), where the objective optics is a one-reflection freeform prism comprising three optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S4, reflective surface S5 and refractive surface S6;d. a beamsplitter (530) configured to merge a digitally generated virtual image from a microdisplay (550) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a. spatial light modulator, producing a. combined image; e. an eyepiece (510) configured to magnify the combined image, where the eyepiece is a two-reflection freeform prism comprising three optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S1, reflective surface S2, reflective surface S1′ and
refractive surface S3;f. an exit pupil (502) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes the combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; g. a roof mirror (527) configured to reflect light from the objective optics into the spatial light modulator, where the roof mirror adds an additional reflection to the see-through path to revert the see-through view so as to maintain parity between the external scene and the see-through view presented to the viewer; wherein the objective optics (520) is disposed upon a. front layer (515) of the display, wherein the mirror (525) is disposed upon a front layer (515) of the display, where the spatial light modulator (540) is disposed on the back layer (517) of the display, at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path, between the mirror (527) and the beam splitter (530), where the microdisplay (550) is disposed on the back layer of the display, facing a different side of the beam splitter (530), where the beam splitter (530) is disposed such that the see-through path (507) is merged with the virtual view path (505) and the light from the merged path is directed to the eyepiece (510), wherein the eyepiece (510) is disposed upon the back layer of the display, whereupon incoming light from the external scene enters the objective optics (520) through the refractive surface S4, then is reflected by the reflective surface S5 and exits the objective optics (520) through the refractive surface S6 and is folded by the mirror (527) toward the back layer (517) and forms an intermediate image at its focal plane on the spatial light modulator (540), whereupon the spatial light modulator (540) modulates the light in the see-through path to occlude portions of the see-through view, whereupon the spatial light modulator transmits the modulated light into the beam splitter (530), whereupon the light from the microdisplay (550) enters the beam splitter (530), whereupon the beamsplitter (530) merges the modulated light M the see-through path (507) with the light in the virtual view path (505) and folds toward the eyepiece (310) for viewing, whereupon the light from the beam splitter enters the eyepiece (510) through the refractive surface S3, then is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S1′ and
S2, and exits the eyepiece (510) through the refractive surface S1 and reaches exit pupil 502, where the viewer'"'"'s eye is aligned to see a combined view of a virtual view and a modulated see-through view.- View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (600), capable of combining a see-through path (607) with a virtual view path (605) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (650) for•
generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (605) associated therewith;b. a transmission-type spatial light modulator (640) for modifying the light from an external scene to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (607) associated therewith; c. an objective optics (620), facing an external scene, configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (640), where the objective optics (620) is a three-reflection freeform prism, comprising five optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S4, reflective surface S5, S4′ and
S6 and refractive surface S7, where the objective optics is configured to form an intermediate image inside the objective optics;d. a beamsplitter (630) configured to merge a digitally generated virtual image from a microdisplay (650) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a spatial light modulator (640), producing a combined image; e. an eyepiece (610) configured to magnify the combined image, where the eyepiece (610) is a two-reflection freeform prism, comprising four optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S1, reflective surface S2, reflective surface S1′ and
refractive surface S3;f. an exit pupil (602) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes the combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; wherein the objective optics (620) is disposed upon a front layer (615) of the display, where the spatial light modulator (640) is disposed on the back layer (617) of the display at or near an intermediate image plane of the see-through path, facing a side of the beam splitter (630), where the microdisplay (650) is disposed on the back layer of the display, facing a different side of the beam splitter (630), where the beam splitter (630) is disposed such that the see-through path (607) is merged with the virtual view path (605) and the light from the merged path is directed to the eyepiece (610), wherein the eyepiece (610) is disposed upon the back layer of the display, whereupon the incoming light from the external scene enters the objective optics (620) through the refractive surface S4, is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S5, S4′ and
S6, and exits the objective optics (620) through the refractive surface S7 whereupon the incoming light forms an intermediate image at its focal plane on the spatial light modulator (640), whereupon the spatial light modulator modulates the light. in the see-through path to occlude portions of the see-through view, whereupon the spatial light modulator transmits the modulated light into the beam splitter (630), whereupon the light from the microdisplay (650) enters the beam splitter (630), whereupon the beamsplitter (630) merges the modulated light in the see-through path (60) with the light in the virtual view path (605) and folds toward the eyepiece (610) for viewing, whereupon the light from the beam splitter enters the eyepiece (610) through the refractive surface S3, then is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S1′ and
S2, and exits the eyepiece (610) through the refractive surface S1 and reaches the exit pupil (602), where the viewer'"'"'s eye is aligned to see a combined view of a virtual view and a modulated see-through view.- View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A compact optical see-through head-mounted display (700), capable of combining a see-through path (707) with a virtual view path (705) such that the opaqueness of the see-through path can be modulated and the virtual view occludes parts of the see-through view and vice versa, the display comprising:
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a. a microdisplay (750) for generating an image to be viewed by a user, the microdisplay having a virtual view path (705) associated therewith; b. a reflection-type spatial light modulator (740) for modifying the light from an external scene to block portions of the see-through view that are to be occluded the spatial light modulator having a see-through path (707) associated therewith; c. an objective optics (720), facing an external scene, configured to receive the incoming light from the external scene and to focus the light upon the spatial light modulator (740), where the objective optics (720) is a two-reflection freeform prism, comprising four optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S4, reflective surface S5, S4′ and
refractive surface S6;d. a first beamsplitter (780) configured to reflect the see-through path onto a mirror (790); e. a relay lens (770) configured to generate another intermediate image upon the spatial light modulator (740) f. a second beamsplitter (730) configured to merge a virtual image from a microdisplay (750) and a modulated see-through image of an external scene passing from a spatial light modulator (740), producing a combined image; g. an eyepiece (710) configured to magnify the combined image, where the eyepiece (710) is a two-reflection freeform prism, comprising four optical freeform surfaces;
refractive surface S1, reflective surface 52, reflective surface S1 and refractive surface S3;h. an exit pupil (702) configured to face the eyepiece, the exit pupil whereupon the user observes the combined view of the virtual and see-through views in which the virtual view occludes portions of the see-through view; i. a mirror (790) to fold the see-through path; wherein the objective optics (720) is disposed upon the front layer (715) of the display, where the first beam splitter (780) is disposed upon the front layer of the display, wherein the mirror (790) is disposed upon the front layer of the display at the focal plane of the objective optics (720), facing the spatial light modulator, where the spatial light modulator (740) is disposed on the back layer (717) of the display, facing the second beam splitter (730), where the relay is disposed between the first and the second beamsplitters, where the microdisplay (750) is disposed on the back layer of the display, facing the second beam splitter (730), where the second beam splitter (730) is disposed such that the direction of light transmission from the beam splitter is facing the eyepiece (710), wherein the eyepiece (710) is disposed upon the back layer of the display, whereupon the incoming light from the external scene enters the objective prism (720) through the refractive surface S4, consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces S5, S4′
, and exits objective prism (720) through the refractive surface S6, whereupon the incoming light is reflected by the first beamsplitter (780) onto the mirror (790), where it forms an intermediate image, whereupon the mirror reflects the light from the front layer onto the relay lens (770), whereupon the relay lens (770) forms another intermediate image upon the spatial light modulator (740), whereupon the spatial light modulator modulates the light in the see-through path to remove the light to be occluded, whereupon the spatial light modulator reflects the modulated light into the second beam splitter (730), whereupon the light from the microdisplay (750) enters the second beam splitter (730), whereupon the second beam splitter (730) merges the modulated light in the see-through path (707) with the light in the virtual view path (705) and folds toward the eyepiece (710) for viewing, whereupon the light from the beam splitter enters the eyepiece (710) through the refractive surface S3, then is consecutively reflected by the reflective surfaces and S2, and exits the eyepiece (710) through the refractive surface S1 and reaches the exit pupil (702), where the viewer'"'"'s eye is aligned to see a combined view of a virtual view and a modulated see-through view.
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Specification