See-through near-eye display glasses including a modular image source

• US 9,134,534 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Border, John N., Haddick, John D., Lohse, Robert Michael, Osterhout, Ralph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/429,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 715/756, 715/757, 715/773, 349/11, 345/629, 353/20, 359/630
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

This disclosure concerns an interactive head-mounted eyepiece with an integrated processor for handling content for display and an integrated image source for introducing the content to an optical assembly through which the user views a surrounding environment and the displayed content. The optical assembly comprises a reflective image display that generates and reflects image light to an optically flat film then to a curved partially reflecting mirror of the optical assembly that reflects a portion of the image light from the image source and transmits a portion of the scene light from a see-through view of the surrounding environment to the user'"'"'s eye as a combined image. The optical assembly comprises a modular image source, wherein the modular image source is mounted in a frame of the eyepiece such that its position with respect to a user'"'"'s eye can be adjusted.

Claims

1. An interactive head-mounted device, comprising:

a modular optical assembly through which a surrounding environment is viewable, the modular optical assembly including a curved partially reflecting mirror optically intermediate the surrounding environment and a user'"'"'s eye, and the modular optical assembly further including a beam splitting layer having an optically flat film disposed at an angle optically intermediate the user'"'"'s eye and the curved mirror;

a processor for handling virtual content for display, and

a modular image source for introducing the virtual content to the modular optical assembly,

wherein the modular image source generates and delivers image light to the beam splitting layer,

wherein the beam splitting layer reflects said image light from the modular image source away from the user'"'"'s eye to the curved partially reflecting mirror,

wherein the curved partially reflecting mirror reflects a portion of the image light from the image source back to the user'"'"'s eye and transmits a portion of scene light from the surrounding environment through the beam splitting layer to the user'"'"'s eye, so that a combined image comprised of portions of the reflected image light and the transmitted scene light is transmitted through the optically flat film to the user'"'"'s eye,

wherein the modular image source is mounted relative to a frame of the eyepiece such that a position of the modular image source with respect to the user'"'"'s eye is adjustable.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a light emitting diode bar.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a light diffuser.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a prepolarizer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a curved wire grid polarizer.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a liquid crystal on silicon display.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the modular image source includes a half wave film.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam splitting layer is a polarizing beam splitter.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the optically flat film includes a wire grid polarizer.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the optically flat film is laminated to a transparent substrate.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the optically flat film is positioned at less than 40 degrees from vertical.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam splitting layer is optically intermediate the curved partially reflecting mirror and the user'"'"'s eye.

12. An augmented reality system, comprising:

an image source for projecting virtual content;

a curved minor optically intermediate a surrounding environment and a user'"'"'s eye; and

a beam splitting layer optically intermediate the image source and the curved minor on a reflection path and optically intermediate the curved minor and the user'"'"'s eye on a transmission path;

wherein virtual content projected from the image source reflects off the beam splitting layer on the reflection path to the curved minor, and reflects off the curved minor through the beam splitting layer on the transmission path to the user'"'"'s eye; and

wherein light from the surrounding environment passes through the curved minor and the beam splitting layer on the transmission path to the user'"'"'s eye.

13. The augmented reality system of claim 12, wherein the beam splitting layer is a polarizing beam splitter.

14. The augmented reality system of claim 12, wherein the beam splitting layer includes a wire grid polarizer.

15. The augmented reality system of claim 12, wherein the wire grid polarizer is laminated to a transparent substrate.

16. An augmented reality system, comprising:

a frame mountable on a user'"'"'s head;

an image source supported by the frame such that a position of the image source with respect to a user'"'"'s eye is adjustable, the image source configured to project virtual content;

a curved minor supported by the frame optically intermediate a surrounding environment and the user'"'"'s eye; and

a beam splitting layer supported by the frame optically intermediate the image source and the curved minor on a reflection path and optically intermediate the curved minor and the user'"'"'s eye on a transmission path;

wherein virtual content projected from the image source reflects off the beam splitting layer on the reflection path to the curved minor, and reflects off the curved minor through the beam splitting layer on the transmission path to the user'"'"'s eye; and

wherein light from the surrounding environment passes through the curved minor and the beam splitting layer on the transmission path to the user'"'"'s eye.

17. The augmented reality system of claim 16, wherein the beam splitting layer is a polarizing beam splitter.

18. The augmented reality system of claim 16, wherein the beam splitting layer includes a wire grid polarizer.

19. The augmented reality system of claim 18, wherein the wire grid polarizer is laminated to a transparent substrate.