ARCHITECTURES AND METHODS FOR OUTPUTTING DIFFERENT WAVELENGTH LIGHT OUT OF WAVEGUIDES
First Claim
1. An optical system comprising:
- a waveguide comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, the waveguide configured to propagate light by total internal reflection between the first and the second major surfaces;
an incoupling optical element configured to incouple incident light into the waveguide at a first plurality of wavelengths along a first direction and incouple incident light into the waveguide at one or more second wavelengths along a second direction, wherein incoupled light of the first plurality of wavelengths propagate through the waveguide along the first direction by total internal reflection and incoupled light of the one or more second wavelengths propagate through the waveguide along the second direction by total internal reflection; and
first and second outcoupling optical elements configured to outcouple the incoupled light out of the waveguide.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Architectures are provided for selectively outputting light for forming images, the light having different wavelengths and being outputted with low levels of crosstalk. In some embodiments, light is incoupled into a waveguide and deflected to propagate in different directions, depending on wavelength. The incoupled light then outcoupled by outcoupling optical elements that outcouple light based on the direction of propagation of the light. In some other embodiments, color filters are between a waveguide and outcoupling elements. The color filters limit the wavelengths of light that interact with and are outcoupled by the outcoupling elements. In yet other embodiments, a different waveguide is provided for each range of wavelengths to be outputted. Incoupling optical elements selectively incouple light of the appropriate range of wavelengths into a corresponding waveguide, from which the light is outcoupled.
-
Citations
1 Claim
-
1. An optical system comprising:
-
a waveguide comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, the waveguide configured to propagate light by total internal reflection between the first and the second major surfaces; an incoupling optical element configured to incouple incident light into the waveguide at a first plurality of wavelengths along a first direction and incouple incident light into the waveguide at one or more second wavelengths along a second direction, wherein incoupled light of the first plurality of wavelengths propagate through the waveguide along the first direction by total internal reflection and incoupled light of the one or more second wavelengths propagate through the waveguide along the second direction by total internal reflection; and first and second outcoupling optical elements configured to outcouple the incoupled light out of the waveguide.
-
Specification