See-through computer display systems

• US 9,329,387 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Border, John N., Haddick, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US14/562,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 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 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0152 involving arrangement aiming to get lighter or better balanced devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0194 with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects
• 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 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/10 Beam splitting or combining systems polarising systems G02B27/28; mixing and splitting light signals using optical waveguides G02B6/28; beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, by dividing or superposing multiple light beams G02B27/0905
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1033 having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display optics.

Claims

1. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:

a. an optics module that provides polarized image light in correspondence to a displayed image;

b. a flat combiner to reflect the image light while simultaneously transmitting more than 50% of incident unpolarized light from the environment, along an optical axis that proceeds to the user'"'"'s eye to provide a view of the displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment; and

c. a controllable light blocker positioned adjacent to the flat combiner that controllably blocks light from the environment so it is not incident on the combiner.

2. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the optics module includes a reflective liquid crystal image source.

3. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the optics module includes a DLP image source.

4. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the image light proceeds along a multiply folded optical axis in the optics module to provide an optics module with reduced thickness and height.

5. The see-through head mounted display of claim 4, wherein at least one of the folds of the optical axis occurs in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis that proceeds to the user'"'"'s eye.

6. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the flat combiner is a partial mirror.

7. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the flat combiner is a notch mirror.

8. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, further comprising a rear optical element comprising a protective plate or a prescriptive optic.

9. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an electrochromic element.

10. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal element.

11. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal element.

12. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker is attached to the flat combiner.

13. The see-through head mounted display of claim 12, wherein the attachment is made to the sidewalls of the flat combiner.

14. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker is adapted to block light in a single area of the flat combiner.

15. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises separately controllable areas.

16. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an array of separately controllable areas.

17. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, further comprising, a processor adapted to present the image light to an area of the flat combiner and cause the controllable light blocker to block at least a portion of environment light behind the area of the flat combiner.

18. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the optics module includes an emissive image source.

19. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:

a. an optics module that provides image light in correspondence to a displayed image;

b. a flat combiner comprising a notch mirror to reflect the image light while simultaneously transmitting more than 50% of incident light from the environment, along an optical axis that proceeds to the user'"'"'s eye to provide a view of the displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment; and

c. a controllable light blocker positioned adjacent to the flat combiner that controllably blocks light from the environment so it is not incident on the combiner.

20. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the image light is polarized and the light from the environment is unpolarized.

21. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the optics module includes a reflective liquid crystal image source.

22. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the optics module includes a DLP image source.

23. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the image light proceeds along a multiply folded optical axis in the optics module to provide an optics module with reduced thickness and height.

24. The see-through head mounted display of claim 23, wherein at least one of the folds of the optical axis occurs in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis that proceeds to the user'"'"'s eye.

25. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an electrochromic element.

26. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a polymer stabilized liquid crystal element.

27. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal element.

28. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker is attached to the flat combiner.

29. The see-through head mounted display of claim 28, wherein the attachment is made to the sidewalls of the flat combiner.

30. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker is adapted to block light in a single area of the flat combiner.

31. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises separately controllable areas.

32. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the controllable light blocker comprises an array of separately controllable areas.

33. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, further comprising, a processor adapted to present the image light to an area of the flat combiner and cause the controllable light blocker to block at least a portion of environment light behind the area of the flat combiner.

34. The see-through head mounted display of claim 19, wherein the optics module includes an emissive image source.