HEAD MOUNTED IMAGING APPARATUS WITH CURVED LENSLET ARRAY

• US 20180003977A1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vuzix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vuzix Corporation
• Inventors: Mir, Jose M., Schultz, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,838,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0145 creating an intermediate image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence

Abstract

A head-mounted imaging apparatus has a projector that is energizable to project image-bearing light and a light-conditioning element that directs and shapes the image-bearing light from the projector to form a real image plane. A lenslet array is positioned adjacent to the real image plane and optically disposed at substantially one focal length away from a curved mirror, wherein the surface of the curved mirror is substantially spherical. There is a beamsplitter in the path of light from the real image at the lenslet array and disposed to direct at least a portion of the light from the real image toward the curved mirror. The curved mirror directs light from the beamsplitter to form a virtual image for an observer who wears the head-mounted imaging apparatus.

Claims

1. A head-mounted imaging apparatus that comprises:

a projector that is energizable to project image-bearing light;

a light-conditioning element that directs and shapes the image-bearing light from the projector to form a real image plane;

a lenslet array positioned adjacent to the real image plane and optically disposed at substantially one focal length away from a curved mirror, wherein the surface of the curved mirror is substantially spherical; and

a beamsplitter in the path of light from the real image at the lenslet array and disposed to direct at least a portion of the light from the real image toward the curved mirror;

wherein the curved mirror directs light from the beamsplitter to form a virtual image for an observer who wears the head-mounted imaging apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lenslet array is curved about at least one axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the projector pixels have a 1:

1 mapping to lenslets in the lenslet array.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the projector pixels have a fewer than 1:

1 mapping in the lenslet array.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lenslet array changes the pixel illumination from greater than about f/5 to less than about f/4.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror is partially transmissive to allow at least partial visibility of the ambient environment to the observer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the curved mirror includes a removable mechanical light baffle or electronic light shutter that is disposed to block or transmit light from the ambient environment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the lenslets are concave.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more headphones.

10. A method for forming a virtual image for an observer, the method comprising:

energizing a projector to form a real image at an image plane;

positioning a lenslet array adjacent to the image plane and disposed at substantially one focal length away from a curved mirror in the field of view of the observer, wherein the surface of the curved mirror is substantially spherical; and

disposing a beamsplitter in the path of light from the real image at the lenslet array to direct at least a portion of the light from the real image toward the curved mirror;

wherein the curved mirror directs light from the beamsplitter to form the virtual image for the observer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising curving the lenslet array with respect to at least one axis.