See-through computer display systems

• US 9,971,156 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• 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., Bietry, Joseph, Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US15/281,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20170242251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/22 Telecentric objectives or lens systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/013 comprising a combiner of particular shape, e.g. curvature
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• 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 2027/0147 comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image
• 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 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• 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 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• 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 27/1033 : having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 : operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 : using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 : used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 : Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 : Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/28 : Interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/285 : comprising deposited thin solid films G02B5/281 - G02B5/289 take precedence; multilayered film filters for fibre optic multiplexing G02B6/29361
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 : Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/08 : adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 : Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 : Head tracking input arrangements
• 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 5/10 : having a sequence of storage locations each being individually accessible for both enqueue and dequeue operations, e.g. using random access memory G06F5/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 : Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 : Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0235 : Field-sequential colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0471 : Vertical positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0478 : Horizontal positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 : Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 : semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 : organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3225 : using an active matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 : with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/34 : by control of light from an independent source

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for the see-through computer display systems with a wide field of view.

Claims

1. A head mounted display with a see-through view of the surrounding environment with an overlaid displayed image comprising:

a. upper optics with a first optical axis including;

i. an emissive image source that provides image light comprised of one or more narrow spectral bands of light;

ii. one or more lenses; and

iii. a stray light trap positioned to prevent a substantial portion of stray scene light from the surrounding environment from entering the upper optics; and

b. lower optics with a second optical axis including;

i. a planar beam splitter angled relative to the first and second optical axes; and

ii. a curved partially reflective mirror, wherein a substantial portion of the image light reflects off of the curved partially reflective mirror and is then transmitted through the planar beam splitter.

2. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the emissive image source is an OLED display.

3. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the emissive image source is a backlit LCD.

4. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the emissive image source is a micro-LED display.

5. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the emissive image source is a plasma display.

6. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein the stray light trap comprises one or more circular polarizers.

7. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein the stray light trap comprises a polarizer with quarterwave films on both sides.

8. The head mounted display of claim 7, wherein the stray light trap is positioned between the lenses and the beam splitter.

9. The head mounted display of claim 6, wherein a circular polarizer is positioned adjacent to the image source.

10. The head mounted display of claim 6, wherein a first circular polarizer is positioned adjacent to the image source and a second circular polarizer is positioned between the lenses and the beam splitter.

11. The head mounted display of claim 8, wherein the lenses provide telecentric image light to the beam splitter that passes through the stray light trap.

12. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the stray light trap absorbs light that passes through the lower optics and toward the image source from either reflected image light or light from the see-through view of the surrounding environment.

13. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the see-through view of the environment as seen by a user comprises at least 50% of the available light from the surrounding environment.

14. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the see-through view of the environment as seen by a user comprises at least 60% of the available light from the surrounding environment.

15. The head mounted display of claim 1 wherein the see-through view of the environment as seen by a user comprises at least 20% of the available light from the surrounding environment within the narrow spectral bands.

16. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein one or more of the reflective surfaces are treated to reflect a majority of incident light within the one or more narrow spectral bands and transmit a majority of incident visible light from the surrounding environment.

17. The head mounted display of claim 16, wherein the treatment is a notch mirror coating that reflects a majority of at least one of the narrow spectral bands provided by the emissive image source and transmits a majority of visible light.

18. The head mounted display of claim 17, wherein the coating is a notch mirror coating that reflects a majority of multiple narrow spectral bands provided by the emissive image source and transmits a majority of visible light.

19. The head mounted display of claim 17, wherein the notch mirror coating is applied to the planar beam splitter.

20. The head mounted display of claim 17, wherein the notch mirror coating is applied to the curved partial mirror.

21. The head mounted display of claim 16, wherein the treatment is a multilayer film that reflects a majority of at least one of the narrow spectral bands provided by the emissive image source and transmits a majority of visible light.