Scanned light display system using large numerical aperture light source, method of using same, and method of making scanning mirror assemblies

• US 7,639,209 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Dean R., Willey, Stephen R., Montague, Thomas W., Sprague, Randall B., Urey, Hakan, Brown, Margaret K., Lewis, John R., Watson, Mathew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US11/404,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345/32, 359/354, 359212-214, 359223-224, 359630-633, 359201-202, 359/643
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/10 with curved faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7408 Direct viewing projectors, e.g. an image displayed on a video CRT or LCD display being projected on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 of head mounted projectors

Abstract

A scanned light display system includes a light source operable to emit light and a curved mirror positioned to receive at least a portion of the light. The curved mirror is configured to substantially collimate the received light. The substantially collimated light is scanned to form an image by moving at least one of the light source and the curved mirror relative to each other. Alternatively, the scanned light display system includes a light source operable to emit light, a curved mirror positioned to receive some of the light, and an optical element positioned to receive light reflected from the curved mirror. The optical element is configured to substantially collimate the reflected light. The substantially collimated light is scanned to form an image by moving at least one of the light source, the curved mirror, and the optical element. Scanning mirror assemblies and methods of making are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A viewing system, comprising:

an image source operable to transmit image signals; and

a scanned beam display coupled to the image source to receive the image signals therefrom, the scanned beam display comprising;

a light source operable to emit diverging light;

a curved mirror positioned to receive at least a portion of the light and configured to substantially collimate the received light into a beam; and

an actuator coupled to at least one of the light source and the curved mirror, the actuator operable to move the light source and the curved mirror relative to each other to scan the beam responsive to the image signals.

2. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source comprises an image capture device.

3. The viewing system of claim 2 wherein the image capture device comprises a camera.

4. The viewing system of claim 2 wherein the image source is operable to transmit video image signals.

5. The viewing system of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the image source, the controller operable to control the operation of the image capture device.

6. The viewing system of claim 5 wherein the image source comprises a satellite system operable to transmit the image signals to the scanned beam display.

7. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source comprises an Internet network operable to transmit the image signals to the scanned beam display.

8. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source comprises an telephone network operable to transmit the image signals to the scanned beam display.

9. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source comprises an cable network operable to transmit the image signals to the scanned beam display.

10. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source comprises a computer readable medium.

11. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source is coupled to the scanned beam display via a wireless interface.

12. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the image source is electrically coupled to the scanned beam display.

13. The viewing system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to allow a user to select the image to be displayed by the scanned beam display.

14. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the scanned beam display comprises a pocket media viewer.

15. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the scanned beam display is included in a cellular telephone.

16. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the scanned beam display is included in an Internet access device.

17. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to rotate the curved mirror about an axis that is substantially parallel to the first direction.

18. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to move the curved mirror in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

19. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the curved mirror is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to move the at least one array in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

20. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the curved mirror is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to move the at least one array in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction.

21. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to move the curved mirror in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction.

22. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array is stationary and wherein the actuator is operable to rotate the curved mirror about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

23. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the actuator is operable to move the at least one array of light emitters in a manner that maintains the distance between the light emitters and the curved mirror substantially constant as the actuator moves the at least one array of light emitters.

24. The viewing system of claim 23 wherein the control system is operable to couple signals to the light emitters to sequentially actuate each of the light emitters at each position of the at least one array of light emitters when the at least one array of light emitters is moved in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

25. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the scanned beam display comprises a control system coupled to the image source, the control system further coupled to the light emitters and the actuator, the control system operable to couple signals to the light emitters in the at least one array to sequentially scan in the first direction and to couple a signal to the actuator to move the at least one array of light emitters and the curved mirror relative to each other.

26. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the scanned beam display comprises a control system coupled to the image source, the control system further coupled to the light emitters and the actuator, the control system operable to couple signals to the light emitters in the at least one array to substantially simultaneously emit light from each of the light emitters and to couple a signal to the actuator to move the at least one array of light emitters and the curved mirror relative to each other.

27. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array of light emitters extends in the first direction with a curvature that corresponds to the curvature of the curved mirror in the first direction.

28. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the curved mirror has a focal surface, and wherein the at least one array of light emitters are positioned substantially at the focal surface.

29. The viewing system of claim 16 wherein the at least one array of light emitters comprises a substantially linear array of light emitters.

30. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises at least one array of light emitters positioned in front of the curved mirror, the at least one array having a longitudinal axis extending in a first direction.

31. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror is a spherical mirror and the focal surface is a focal sphere.

32. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror comprises a mirror that is at least partially transparent.

33. The viewing system of claim 32 wherein the optical element comprises at least one lens.

34. The viewing system of claim 1, further comprising an optical element positioned to receive the beam from the curved mirror and configured to further collimate the beam.

35. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror comprises a spherical mirror.

36. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror comprises a Fresnel mirror.

37. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the curved mirror comprises a diffractive mirror.

38. The viewing system of claim 1, farther comprising a partially transparent mirror located and oriented to redirect light emitted from the light source upwardly to the curved mirror.

39. The viewing system of claim 38 wherein the curved mirror is located at a first focal point of an ellipse and a pupil of a viewer'"'"'s eye can be positioned at a second focal point of the ellipse to receive scanned light from the reflective surface.

40. The viewing system of claim 1, farther comprising a reflective surface positioned to receive the beam from the curved mirror and redirect the beam through a viewing aperture.

41. The viewing system of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a magnetic actuator.

42. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitters and wherein the plurality of light emitters defines a curve which corresponds to a curvature of the curved reflecting surface.

43. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises moving the light source and the curved reflecting surface relative to each other.

44. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of emitting light from a light source comprises emitting light from a plurality of locations generally extending in a first direction and wherein the act of scanning the scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises rotating the curved reflecting surface about an axis that is substantially parallel to the first direction.

45. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of emitting light from a light source comprises emitting light from a plurality of locations generally extending in a first direction and wherein the act of scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises moving the curved reflecting surface in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

46. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of emitting light from a light source comprises emitting light from a plurality of locations generally extending in a first direction and wherein the act of scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises moving the light source in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

47. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of emitting light from a light source comprises emitting light from a plurality of locations generally extending in a first direction and wherein the act of scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises moving the curved reflecting surface in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction.

48. A method of providing an image to a viewer, comprising:

transmitting image signals from an image source to a scanned beam display including a light source and a curved reflecting surface;

emitting light from the light source;

reflecting the light from the curved reflecting surface;

substantially collimating the reflected light into a beam; and

scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer, wherein the act of emitting light from a light source comprises emitting light from a plurality of locations generally extending in a first direction and wherein the act of scanning the beam across a pupil of an eye of the viewer comprises moving the light source in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction.