WAVEGUIDES WITH EXTENDED FIELD OF VIEW
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, the apparatus comprising:
- an optical waveguide including an input-coupler, first and second intermediate-components and an output-coupler;
the input-coupler comprising a diffraction grating and configured to;
couple light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil, and having a corresponding field of view (FOV), into the optical waveguide;
diffract a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward the first intermediate-component such that a first portion of the FOV travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the first intermediate-component; and
diffract a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward the second intermediate-component such that a second portion of the FOV travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the second intermediate-component;
wherein the first and second directions differ from one another; and
wherein the first and second portions of the FOV differ from one another;
the first intermediate-component configured to diffract light corresponding to the first portion of the FOV, which travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the first intermediate-component, toward the output coupler;
the second intermediate-component configured to diffract light corresponding to the second portion of the FOV, which travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the second intermediate-component, toward the output coupler; and
the output-coupler configured to;
combine the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, which travel through the optical waveguide from the first and second intermediate-components to the output-coupler; and
couple the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide and viewable from the output-pupil.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An input-coupler of an optical waveguide couples light corresponding to the image and having a corresponding FOV into the optical waveguide, and the input-coupler splits the FOV of the image coupled into the optical waveguide into first and second portions by diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward a first intermediate-component, and diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward a second intermediate-component. An output-coupler of the waveguide combines the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, and couples the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide. The intermediate-components and the output-coupler also provide for pupil expansion.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, the apparatus comprising:
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an optical waveguide including an input-coupler, first and second intermediate-components and an output-coupler; the input-coupler comprising a diffraction grating and configured to; couple light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil, and having a corresponding field of view (FOV), into the optical waveguide; diffract a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward the first intermediate-component such that a first portion of the FOV travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the first intermediate-component; and diffract a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward the second intermediate-component such that a second portion of the FOV travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the second intermediate-component; wherein the first and second directions differ from one another; and wherein the first and second portions of the FOV differ from one another; the first intermediate-component configured to diffract light corresponding to the first portion of the FOV, which travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the first intermediate-component, toward the output coupler; the second intermediate-component configured to diffract light corresponding to the second portion of the FOV, which travels through the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the second intermediate-component, toward the output coupler; and the output-coupler configured to; combine the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, which travel through the optical waveguide from the first and second intermediate-components to the output-coupler; and couple the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide and viewable from the output-pupil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for using an optical waveguide to replicate an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, the method comprising:
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coupling light corresponding to the image associated with the input-pupil, and having a corresponding field of view (FOV), into the optical waveguide; splitting the FOV of the image coupled into the optical waveguide into first and second portions by diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction, and diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction, wherein the first and second directions differ from one another, and wherein the first and second portions of the FOV differ from one another; and after the light corresponding to the image has travelled through portions of the optical waveguide by way of total internal reflection, combining the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, and coupling the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide and viewable from the output-pupil. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A head-mounted display (HMD) or a heads-up display (HUD) system, comprising:
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a display engine configured to produce an image; an optical waveguide including an input-coupler, first and second intermediate-components, and an output-coupler; the input coupler configured to; couple light corresponding to the image produced by the display engine, and having a corresponding field of view (FOV), into the optical waveguide; and split the FOV of the image coupled into the optical waveguide into first and second portions by diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward the first intermediate-component, and diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward the second-intermediate component, wherein the first and second directions differ from one another, and wherein the first and second portions of the FOV differ from one another; and the output-coupler configured to combine the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, which travel from the first and second intermediate-components to the output-coupler by way of total internal reflection, and couple the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and having the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification