Optical configurations for head worn computing

• US 9,298,002 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Haddick, John D., Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Carolyn R
• Application Number:
  US14/543,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• 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 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to optical systems in head worn computing.

Claims

1. A head-worn computer display, comprising:

a. a reflective display including a plurality of multi-positional micro-mirrors;

b. an illumination system positioned at an angle of greater than 90 degrees from a front surface of the reflective display, wherein the illumination system is adapted to produce illumination light and project the illumination light in a direction away from the reflective display and towards a first side of a reflective surface such that the reflective surface reflects the illumination light in a direction towards the reflective display to generate image light;

c. image light delivery optics with an eyebox wherein the image light is provided to a user'"'"'s eye; and

d. a processor adapted to control the reflective display such that each of the plurality of multi-positional micro-mirrors is positionally controlled between an on-state and an off-state to reflect the illumination light in a selected direction,

wherein the selected direction comprises a first selected direction and a second selected direction,

wherein the selected direction is selected depending on the state of the micro-mirrors,

wherein the first direction is in-line with the image light delivery optics adapted to present on-state light as the image light to the user'"'"'s eye in the eyebox; and

wherein the second direction is in-line with a dark-light trap at a side of the image light delivery optics adapted to capture at least a portion of off-state light and prevent the at least a portion of off-state light from entering the eyebox.

2. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface is partially reflective and partially transmissive.

3. The head-worn computer display of claim 2, wherein the image light passes through the partially reflective and partially transmissive surface.

4. The head-worn computer display of claim 2, further comprising a multi-piece solid optic wherein the partially reflective and partially transmissive surface is positioned within the multi-piece solid optic.

5. The head-worn computer display of claim 2, wherein the partially reflective and partially transmissive surface is a reflective polarizer film.

6. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, further comprising an eye imaging camera, wherein the eye imaging camera is positioned to capture images of the eye of the user, wherein the eye imaging camera and the image light delivery optics have a common optical axis within the eyebox.

7. The head-worn computer of claim 6, wherein light associated with the image of the user'"'"'s eye is reflected by a second side of the reflective surface before being captured by the eye imaging camera.

8. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the image light delivery optics are see-through such that the user'"'"'s eye is provided with a see-through view of a surrounding environment proximate the user and image light.

9. The head-worn computer display of claim 8, wherein the image light delivery optics includes a notch filter, wherein the notch filter reflects a greater portion of image light in comparison to the portion of visible light reflected that is associated with the see-through view of the surrounding environment.

10. The head worn computer display of claim 9 wherein the notch filter reflects a majority of image light and transmits a majority of visible light associated with the see-through view of the surrounding environment.

11. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the image light delivery optics includes a holographic filter, wherein the holographic filter reflects at least a portion of image light to the eye of the user.

12. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the image light delivery optics includes a combiner element positioned to reflect at least a portion of the image light to the eye of the user and to transmit at least a portion of light associated with the see-through view of the surrounding environment to the eye of the user.

13. The head-worn computer display of claim 12, wherein the combiner element is angled at greater than 45 degrees from horizontal.

14. The head-worn computer display of claim 12, wherein the combiner element is adapted to accept the image light at an angle less than 45 degrees from a front surface of the combiner.

15. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the reflective display and illumination system form an image generation module, wherein the image generation module is not more than approximately 8 mm tall.

16. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the reflective display and illumination system form an image generation module, wherein the image generation module is not more than approximately 8 mm wide, from a front edge to a rear edge as positioned in the head-worn computer.

17. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the reflective display and illumination system form an image generation module, wherein the image generation module is not more than approximately 3 grams.

18. The head-worn computer display of claim 1, wherein the image light is full color image light, wherein the full color image light is generated by sequencing through multiple colors of light emitted from the illumination system.