Display with multi-surface eyepiece

• US 5,903,397 A
• Filed: 05/04/1998
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: Kollin, Joel S., Johnston, Richard S., Tidwell, Michael, Melville, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US09/072,417
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 359/13, 359/630, 359/631, 359/629, 359/634, 359/636, 359/839, 359/838, 359/867, 359/868, 359/869, 359/880, 359/712, 345/8, 345/7
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

An augmented retinal scanning display device includes a multi-functional eyepiece. One function is to direct an image beam onto a viewer'"'"'s eye. Another function is to correct the vision of the viewer'"'"'s eye. The display is worn by a viewing person. The eyepiece includes a reflective surface and a transmissive surface. An image beam reflects off the reflective surface onto the viewer'"'"'s retina enabling the viewer to perceive a virtual image. Background light, such as from the ambient environment or another display device, enters the eyepiece at the transmissive surface and passes through the eyepiece toward the viewer'"'"'s eye. While passing through the eyepiece, the background light is refracted to correct the viewer'"'"'s vision.

Claims

1. An augmented scanning display apparatus, comprising:

an image source for generating image light;

a scanner for scanning the image light along a predetermined path;

an eyepiece having a first surface upon which the scanned image light impinges, the first surface reflecting the scanned image light onto a retina, the eyepiece having a second surface upon which background light impinges, the eyepiece being transmissive to the background light received at the second surface, the background light passing through the eyepiece from the second surface and exiting at a third surface toward the retina, wherein the second surface has a first curvature and the third surface has a second curvature different from the first curvature causing refractive correction of the background light entering the retina.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first surface is part of the third surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image signal source and a modulator which modulates the generated image light according to an image signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the scanner and eyepiece are mounted to a viewer'"'"'s head.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the scanner is mounted adjacent to a viewer'"'"'s temple.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the image source is coupled to the scanner with a fiberoptic.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an eyeglass frame to which the scanner and eyepiece are mounted.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the eyepiece is part of a helmet visor.

9. A pair of corrective glasses, comprising:

a frame;

a corrective lens carried by the frame and positioned for alignment to an expected position of a user'"'"'s eye, the lens including a curved internal surface facing the expected eye position and a curved external surface opposite the internal surface; and

a scanned light source operative to emit a modulated, scanned beam of light, the scanned light source being oriented to emit the scanned beam of light along a path toward the internal surface, the scanned light source further being oriented to define the path such that the emitted light beam travels to the user'"'"'s expected eye position.

10. The glasses of claim 9, in which the scanned light source is mounted on the frame at an area adjacent to a user'"'"'s expected temple area.

11. The glasses of claim 9, in which the scanned light source comprises a scanner and a light source, wherein the scanner is mounted to the frame and wherein the light source is coupled to the scanner with a fiberoptic.

12. The glasses of claim 9, in which the lens is part of a helmet visor.

13. A corrective lens, comprising:

a curved internal surface facing an expected eye position and a curved external surface opposite the internal surface, wherein curvature of the internal surface differs from curvature of the external surface; and

a reflector along the internal surface.

14. The lens of claim 13, in which the reflector is a reflective coating over a portion of the internal surface.

15. The lens of claim 13, in which the reflector is spherically shaped to reflect light to an expected eye position of a user wearing the lens.

16. A method for generating a virtual image on a retina of a viewer'"'"'s eye in response to an image data signal, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a light beam;

modulating the light beam as a function of the image data signal to define a sequence of display pixels forming the virtual image;

deflecting the modulated light beam along a predetermined pattern;

receiving the deflected light beam at a reflective surface of an eyepiece, the reflective surface reflecting the received light beam onto the retina;

receiving background light at another surface of the eyepiece; and

passing the background light through the eyepiece along a refractive path toward the viewer'"'"'s eye, wherein refractive correction is applied to the background along the refractive path.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the step of passing comprises passing the background light through the eyepiece from said another surface out of said reflective surface toward the viewer'"'"'s eye.