See-through computer display systems

• US 9,594,246 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Bietry, Joseph, Haddick, John D., Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manikeu, Daniele
• Application Number:
  US14/561,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 359/13, 359629-633, 345/633, 345/8, 345/156
• 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 compact optics module for a head mounted display including a reflective liquid crystal image source comprising:

a. a polarized light source that shares a first optical axis with the reflective liquid crystal image source along which the light source provides polarized illuminating light to the reflective liquid crystal image source which then converts the polarized illuminating light to polarized image light;

b. a beam splitter;

c. at least one lens element;

d. a combiner;

e. wherein the reflective liquid crystal image source and the polarized light source are positioned opposite one another along a common first optical axis that passes through the beam splitter;

f. wherein the beam splitter is angled to reflect the polarized image light along a second optical axis that is common to the lens element and passes through to the combiner;

g. wherein the combiner reflects the polarized image light and simultaneously transmits unpolarized light from a surrounding environment along a third optical axis that proceeds to a user'"'"'s eye to provide a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the surrounding environment; and

h. the first optical axis is perpendicular to both the second and third optical axes.

2. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the combiner transmits over 50% of the unpolarized light from the environment.

3. The compact optics module of claim 2, wherein the combiner is a partial mirror.

4. The compact optics module of claim 2, wherein the combiner is a notch mirror.

5. The compact optics module of claim 1, further comprising a rear optical element comprising a protective plate or a prescriptive optic.

6. The compact optics module of claim 1, further comprising a camera positioned adjacent to the beam splitter with a field of view along the second optical axis for capturing images of the user'"'"'s eye from a perspective directly in front of the user'"'"'s eye.