Waveguide with embedded mirrors
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a waveguide including an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the waveguide;
a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the input light down the waveguide towards the out-coupling region as guided light, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are laterally offset from one another within the in-coupling region to each reflect a different lateral portion of the input light while not reflecting the different lateral portions of the input light directed to other in-coupling mirrors; and
a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light, wherein the out-coupling mirrors each include;
a first reflective surface orientated to reflect the guided light as the output light for emission from the out-coupling region; and
a second reflective surface obliquely angled relative to the first reflective surface and orientated to reflect the guided light for propagation further down the out-coupling region of the waveguide, wherein the first and second reflective surfaces are reflective, non-optically transmissive surfaces,wherein the out-coupling mirrors are offset from one another such that the out-coupling region comprises a partially transparent region permitting external light to pass through the out-coupling region between the out-coupling mirrors.
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Abstract
A waveguide with embedded mirrors includes an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the waveguide. The mirrors include a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the input light down the waveguide towards the out-coupling region as guided light. The mirrors further include a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light.
185 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a waveguide including an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the waveguide; a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the input light down the waveguide towards the out-coupling region as guided light, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are laterally offset from one another within the in-coupling region to each reflect a different lateral portion of the input light while not reflecting the different lateral portions of the input light directed to other in-coupling mirrors; and a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light, wherein the out-coupling mirrors each include; a first reflective surface orientated to reflect the guided light as the output light for emission from the out-coupling region; and a second reflective surface obliquely angled relative to the first reflective surface and orientated to reflect the guided light for propagation further down the out-coupling region of the waveguide, wherein the first and second reflective surfaces are reflective, non-optically transmissive surfaces, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are offset from one another such that the out-coupling region comprises a partially transparent region permitting external light to pass through the out-coupling region between the out-coupling mirrors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An optical system for rendering an augmented reality to a user, the optical system comprising:
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a waveguide including; an in-coupling region for receiving input light and an out-coupling region for emitting output light; a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region and orientated to reflect the input light towards the out-coupling region as guided light, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are laterally offset from one another within the in-coupling region to each reflect a different lateral portion of the input light, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are non-optically transmissive surfaces to the input light; and a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide to an eye of the user as the output light, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are reflective, non-optically transmissive surfaces, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are offset from one another such that the out-coupling region comprises a partially transparent region permitting external light to pass through the out-coupling region between the out-coupling mirrors; an image source positioned to launch a computer generated image into the in-coupling region of the waveguide; and a frame assembly to support the waveguide and the image source for wearing on a head of the user. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of displaying a near-to-eye image, the method comprising:
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receiving input light into an in-coupling region of a waveguide; reflecting different portions of the input light with a corresponding plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are laterally offset from one another within the in-coupling region to each reflect a different lateral portion of the input light, wherein the in-coupling mirrors are non-transmissive to the input light; guiding the input light reflected off the in-coupling mirrors as guided light guided towards an out-coupling region of the waveguide; reflecting different portions of the guided light with a corresponding plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide for emission from the out-coupling region as output light, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are reflective, non-optically transmissive surfaces; and passing external light through the out-coupling region between the out-coupling mirrors, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are offset from one another such that the out-coupling region comprises a partially transparent region to the external light. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus, comprising:
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a waveguide including an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the waveguide; a plurality of in-coupling mirrors disposed within the in-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the input light down the waveguide towards the out-coupling region as guided light; and a plurality of out-coupling mirrors disposed within the out-coupling region of the waveguide and orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light, wherein the out-coupling mirrors each include; a first reflective surface orientated to reflect the guided light as the output light for emission from the out-coupling region; and a second reflective surface obliquely angled relative to the first reflective surface and orientated to reflect the guided light for propagation further down the out-coupling region of the waveguide, wherein the second reflective surface is disposed internal to the waveguide and offset from an external side surface of the waveguide, wherein the plurality of out-coupling mirrors are laterally offset from each other with intervening gaps between adjacent out-coupling mirrors such that the second reflective surface of each of the out-coupling mirrors is separate from the second reflective surface of other out-coupling mirrors, wherein the out-coupling mirrors are reflective, non-optically transmissive surfaces and are offset from one another such that the out-coupling region comprises a partially transparent region permitting external light to pass through the out-coupling region in the intervening gaps between the out-coupling mirrors.
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Specification