HOLOGRAPHIC SEE-THROUGH OPTICAL DEVICE, STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING SYSTEM, AND MULTIMEDIA HEAD MOUNTED SYSTEM

• US 20170235144A1
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PISKUNOV, Dmitry Evgenievich, MOROZOV, Aleksander Viktorovich, POPOV, Mikhail Vyacheslavovich, ZAKHAROVA, Natalia Vladimirovna, MURAVEV, Nikolay Viktorovich
• Granted Patent: US 10,386,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• 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 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2226 Edge lit holograms

Abstract

A holographic see-through optical device, a stereoscopic imaging system including the same, and a multimedia head mounted system are provided. The holographic see-through optical device includes a micro display; a relay optical system, which relays an image generated by the micro display; at least one waveguide comprising at least two portions having different thicknesses or different refractive indexes; at least one first holographic optical element, which is arranged at one of the two portions; and at least one second holographic optical element, which is arranged at the other one of the two portions.

Claims

1. A holographic see-through optical device comprising:

a micro display;

a relay optical system, which relays an image generated by the micro display;

at least one waveguide comprising at least two portions having different thicknesses or different refractive indexes;

at least one first holographic optical element, which is arranged at one of the two portions; and

at least one second holographic optical element, which is arranged at the other one of the two portions.

2. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the waveguide, to which the image generated by the micro display is incident, has a greater thickness that the other portion of the waveguide.

3. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the thickness and reflectivity of the portion of the waveguide, to which the image generated by the micro display is incident, is set to diffract light beams on the first holographic optical element.

4. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein portions of the waveguide have gradient refractive indexes.

5. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein the relay optical system forms an image of the micro display at an infinite distance.

6. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide comprises a plurality of major surfaces, and

the major surfaces comprises one common bottom surface, top surfaces facing the bottom surface, and a interface surface at which the respective portions of the waveguide meet each other.

7. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 6, wherein the optical axis of the relay optical system is tilted with respect to a line perpendicular to the bottom surface of the waveguide.

8. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 6, wherein at least one of the major surfaces of the waveguide is a flat surface or a free-formed surface.

9. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein the at least one of first and second holographic optical elements have different wavelength selectivity or different angle selectivity.

10. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein a light beam that propagates in a waveguide is incident to a second holographic optical element, is partially diffracted, and partially returns to and is reflected by a major surface of the waveguide, and

the mutual interaction is repeated at least twice.

11. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 1, wherein at least two waveguides are stacked.

14. A stereoscopic imaging system in which holographic see-through optical devices of claim 1 are arranged with respect to the eyes of a viewer, respectively.

12. A holographic see-through optical device comprising:

a micro display;

a relay optical system, which relays an image generated by the micro display;

a waveguide comprising a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness;

a first holographic optical element arranged at the first portion; and

a second holographic optical element arranged at the second portion,

wherein the relay optical system forms an exit pupil at a location apart from the first portion of the waveguide,

the first holographic optical element combines light beams at the first portion of the waveguide and relays the exit pupil to a region where the first portion meets the second portion of the waveguide, and

the second holographic optical element combines light beams from the waveguide and relays the exit pupil at a location apart from the second portion of the waveguide.

13. The holographic see-through optical device of claim 12, wherein an average thickness of the first portion of the waveguide is greater than an average thickness of the second portion.

15. A multimedia head mounted system enabling a user to watch the surrounding environment combined with displayed content, the multimedia head mounted system comprising:

a micro display, which generates an image;

a relay optical system, which relays an image generated by the micro display;

at least one waveguide comprising at least two portions having different thicknesses or different refractive indexes;

at least one first holographic optical element;

at least one second holographic optical element,

an integrated processor for handling content to be displayed to the user; and

earpieces to be mounted on the head of the user, wherein

an exit pupil is formed at a location apart from the first portion of the waveguide,

the first holographic optical element combines light beams at the first portion of the