Varying a focus through a variable focus element based on user accommodation

• US 9,846,967 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Schowengerdt, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lhymn, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US14/703,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20150235431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 345619, 345629, 345632, 345633, 345 6, 382254, 382255, 382276, 382277, 382278, 382280, 382302
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• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0163 Electric or electronic control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
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• 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 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4205 having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0037 characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/005 : Diaphragms for cameras G03B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1814 : structurally combined with one or more further optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms or other diffraction gratings G02B5/189 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1828 : having means for producing variable diffraction controlling the direction of light by means of one or more diffracting elements G02B26/0808; acousto-optical elements G02F1/11, G02F1/33; electro- or magneto-optical diffraction G02F1/292, G02F1/2955
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 : Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 : Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02042 : Multicore optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 : the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 : having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 : utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/40 : having fibre bundle mating means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 : Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 : Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/104 : having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0105 : Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 : based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/17 : based on variable-absorption elements not provided for in groups G02F1/015 - G02F1/169
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 : for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/292 : by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 : Variable focal length devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/31 : Digital deflection, i.e. optical switchingG02F1/33 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 3/1423 : controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 : of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 : 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 : Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/506 : Illumination models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 : Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes
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• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 : Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
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• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 : Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 : Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 : characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 : Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/18 : Timing circuits for raster scan displays specially adapted for television H04N ; synchronisation between the display unit and other display units, videodisc player G09G5/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 : the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 : using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 : having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 : using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 : with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 : Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 : using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 : using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 : for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0085 : Motion estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 : Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 : Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

Configurations are disclosed for presenting virtual reality and augmented reality experiences to users. The system may comprise an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner, a light modulator configured to transmit light associated with the one or more frames of image data, a substrate to direct image information to a user'"'"'s eye, wherein the substrate houses a plurality of reflectors, a first reflector of the plurality of reflectors to reflect transmitted light associated with a first frame of image data at a first angle to the user'"'"'s eye, and a second reflector to reflect transmitted light associated with a second frame of the image data at a second angle to the user'"'"'s eye.

Claims

1. A system for displaying virtual content to a user, comprising:

an accommodation tracking module to determine an accommodation of the user'"'"'s eye;

an image-generating source to provide one or more frames of image data in a time-sequential manner;

a light generator to project light associated with the one or more frames of image data;

a plurality of waveguides to receive light rays associated with image data and to transmit the light rays toward the user'"'"'s eye;

a first variable focus element (VFE) adjacent one side of the plurality of waveguides to vary a focus of the transmitted light based at least in part on the determined accommodation of the user'"'"'s eye;

a second VFE adjacent an opposite side of the plurality of waveguides to compensate to cancel out optical effects of the first VFE for light rays traveling from the real world through the at least one waveguide towards the user'"'"'s eye;

at least one lens respectively disposed between at least one respective pair of the plurality of waveguides,

wherein each of the at least one lens has a static focal distance, and

wherein the at least one lens causes the plurality of waveguides to simultaneously create a plurality of different focal planes of wavefronts.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is a waveguide element, wherein the focus of a first frame of image data transmitted from a first waveguide of the plurality of waveguides is different from the focus of a second frame of image data transmitted from a second waveguide of the plurality of waveguides.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first frame is a first layer of a 3D scene, and a second frame is a second layer of the 3D scene.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a blurring module to blur a portion of the one or more frames of image data in a manner such that the portion is out of focus when viewed by the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is electro-active.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a waveguide of the plurality of waveguides corresponds to a fixed focal plane.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an exit pupil, wherein a diameter of the exit pupil is no greater than 0.5 mm.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an array of exit pupils.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of light generators coupled to an exit pupil.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the exit pupil is switchable based at least in part on the determined accommodation of the user'"'"'s eye.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the light generator is a scanning fiber display.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising an exit pupil expander.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one lens comprises a plurality of lenses.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first VFE is slaved to the determined accommodation of the user'"'"'s eye, such that one of the plurality of waveguides outputs an in-focus wavefront.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of waveguides comprises three waveguides, and the one waveguide that outputs an in-focus wavefront is a middle one of the three waveguides.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a first one of the other of the three waveguides outputs a + margin wavefront, and a second one of the other of the three waveguides outputs a −

margin wavefront.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second VFEs comprises a refractive element.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second VFEs comprises a switchable diffractive element.