MULTI-RESOLUTION DISPLAY ASSEMBLY FOR HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY SYSTEMS

• US 20180136471A1
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: MILLER, Samuel A., WELCH, William Hudson, EDWIN, Lionel Ernest, YEOH, Ivan Li Chuen
• Granted Patent: US 10,948,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0147 comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0189 Sight systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]

Abstract

This disclosure describes a head-mounted display with a display assembly configured to display content to most or all of a user'"'"'s field of view. The display assembly can be configured to display content in far-peripheral regions of the user'"'"'s field of view differently than content upon which a user can focus. For example, spatial resolution, color resolution, refresh rate and intensity (i.e. brightness) can be adjusted to save resources and/or to bring attention to virtual content positioned within a far-peripheral region. In some embodiments, these changes can save processing resources without detracting from the user'"'"'s overall experience.

Claims

1. A wearable display device, comprising:

a frame including an attachment member configured to secure the wearable display device to a head of a user; and

a display assembly coupled to the frame, the display assembly comprising;

a main display, and

a peripheral display arranged along a periphery of the main display.

2. The wearable display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the main display outputs an angular representation of virtual content into eyes of the user and the peripheral display generates a spatial representation of the virtual content.

3. The wearable display device as recited in claim 1, wherein a first region of the peripheral display shows content at a higher spatial resolution than a second region of the peripheral display and wherein the first region is closer to a user'"'"'s field of regard than the second region.

4. The wearable display device as recited in claim 3, wherein pixels are spaced more closely together in the first region than in the second region.

5. The wearable display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the main display is coupled to and overlaps at least a portion of the peripheral display.

6. The wearable display device as recited in claim 1, wherein the main display comprises a first main display associated with a left eye of the user and a second main display associated with a right eye of the user, both the first and second main displays being coupled to a layer of the peripheral display.

7. The display assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the main display and the peripheral display utilize different display technologies.

8. A display assembly of a head-mounted display device, the display assembly comprising:

a first region having a first resolution;

a second region at least partially surrounding the first region and having a second resolution substantially lower than the first resolution; and

a transition region between the first region and the second region having a variable resolution that is lower on a first side of the transition region adjacent to the first region than a second side of the transition region adjacent the second region.

9. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the first region is sized to cover a field of regard of an eye of a user.

10. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the second region renders virtual content in grayscale and the first region renders virtual content in color.

11. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein a spatial resolution of the first region is greater than a spatial resolution of the second region.

12. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the second region is a transparent organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.

13. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, further comprising a pico-projector configured to illuminate the first region by projecting content onto inner or outer surfaces of the display assembly.

14. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the second region is sized to fill a gap between a periphery of the first region and a face of a user when the head-mounted display device is being worn.

15. The display assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the second region has a larger curvature than the first region.

16. A wearable display device, comprising:

a frame;

a projector coupled to the frame; and

a display assembly, comprising;

a main display coupled to the frame and configured to output an angular representation of virtual content to an eye of the user, and

a peripheral display at least partially surrounding the main display, the peripheral display being configured to output a spatial representation of the virtual content.

17. The wearable display device as recited in claim 16, further comprising an attachment member configured to attach the wearable display device to a user and to rotate with respect to the frame,

wherein the peripheral display is configured to bend and flex to accommodate rotation of the attachment member with respect to the frame.

18. The wearable display device as recited in claim 16, wherein a portion of the peripheral display is positioned between a portion of the attachment member and the user of the head-mounted display when the head-mounted display is being worn by the user.

19. The wearable display device as recited in claim 16, further comprising a camera configured to monitor the user'"'"'s surroundings, wherein the peripheral display is configured to display the user'"'"'s surroundings over one or more optically opaque components of the wearable display device.

20. The wearable display device as recited in claim 16, wherein the peripheral display is optically coupled to one or more optical components positioned along at least one side of the main display.