Transmissive display apparatus

• US 9,612,439 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Komatsu, Akira, Takagi, Masayuki, Totani, Takahiro, Takeda, Takashi, Miyao, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US15/054,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 359630-632, 359567, 345 7- 9, 345589, 345633
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1809 with pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001

Abstract

imagelight and outside light are viewed to overlap in a half mirror layer which is a semi-transmissive reflection unit from a state in which a polarization property of the outside light is canceled by a depolarization member disposed more outside than a light-guiding region of the imagelight.

Claims

1. A transmissive display apparatus that causes outside light and image light from a video element to be viewed to overlap, the display apparatus comprising:

a semi-transmissive reflection unit that performs partial reflection and transmission of the outside light and the image light while the outside light and the image light have a polarization property; and

a depolarization member that is disposed in a region more outside than a light-guiding region of the image light extending from the video element to an eye assumption position assumed as a position of an eye via the semi-transmissive reflection unit, using the eye assumption position as a criterion, and cancels a polarization state of the outside light passing through the semi-transmissive reflection unit and incident on the eye assumption position.

2. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light-guiding member that guides the image light from the video element to the semi-transmissive reflection unit and emits the image light passing via the semi-transmissive reflection unit; and

a light transmission member that is bonded to the light-guiding member via the semi-transmissive reflection unit and causes the image light and the outside light to be viewed to overlap in cooperation with the light-guiding member,

wherein the depolarization member is provided at a position at which the depolarization member is viewed to be superimposed on the semi-transmissive reflection unit from the eye assumption position.

3. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the depolarization member is provided to be superimposed on the semi-transmissive reflection unit on an outside of the light-guiding region of the image light.

4. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the depolarization member is provided on a surface more outside the eye assumption position than the semi-transmissive reflection unit in a surface of a light-guiding device formed by the light-guiding member and the light transmission member.

5. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the depolarization member is an electric optical element that temporally changes a refractive index through electric field driving.

6. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a shade device that is fitted to screen at least a portion in front of the eye and has an outside light transmittance adjustment function to improve video visibility by lowering transmittance of the outside light,

wherein the depolarization member is provided in the shade device.

7. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the depolarization member is a high phase difference film.

8. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein a slow axis direction of the high phase difference film is a parallel direction or a vertical direction to a horizontal direction assumed as an eye arrangement direction.

9. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the depolarization member includes a random local orientation phase difference member that locally performs orientation in a different direction including a refractive index anisotropic material.

10. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the depolarization member is an adhesion member formed by admixing the refractive index anisotropic material with an adhesive.

11. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the depolarization member is a diffraction element that includes a plurality of sub-wavelength gratings locally performing orientation in the different direction.

12. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the semi-transmissive reflection unit has a transmission property of 5% or more different polarization.

13. The transmissive display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the semi-transmissive reflection unit is a dielectric multi-layer film.