System, apparatus, and method for displaying an image using focal modulation

• US 9,995,857 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avegant Corp
• Original Assignee: Avegant Corp
• Inventors: Evans, Allan Thomas, Gross, Andrew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sultan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Magda
• Application Number:
  US14/678,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• 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: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/322 using varifocal lenses or mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes

Abstract

A system (100), apparatus (110), and method (900) for displaying an image (880). The light (800) in the image (880) is modified by a tuning assembly (700) to possess more than one focal point (870). Thus a single image (880) can include multiple depth regions (860). Each depth region (860) can be comprised of light (800) possessing a distinct focal point (870). The tuning assembly (700) can be implemented in the form a tunable lens (710), a tunable lens array (720), a movable lens (730), or a deformable mirror (740).

Claims

1. A system (100) for displaying an image (880) to a user (90), said system (100) comprising:

an illumination assembly (200) that provides for supplying a plurality of light (800);

an imaging assembly (300) that provides for creating an interim image (850) comprised from said light (800);

a projection assembly (400) that provides for creating said image (880) from said light (800) in said interim image (850), wherein said projection assembly (400) provides for making said image (880) accessible to the user (90); and

a tuning assembly (700) that provides for a plurality of focal points (870) in said plurality of light (800) in a single image (880).

2. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said tuning assembly (700) is comprised of tunable lens (710).

3. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said tuning assembly (700) is comprised of tunable lens array (720).

4. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said tuning assembly (700) is comprised of a movable lens (730).

5. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said tuning assembly (700) is comprised of a deformable mirror (740).

6. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (800) is a stereoscopic image (881) that is part of a stereoscopic video (891).

7. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said system (100) is a VRD visor apparatus (116).

8. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said tuning assembly (700) is positioned in at least one of:

(a) said illumination assembly (200);

(b) said imaging assembly (300); and

(c) said projection assembly (400).

9. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860), said plurality of depth regions (860) including a first depth region (860) and a second depth region (860), said plurality of focal points (870) including a first focal point (870) and a second focal point (870), wherein said light (800) in said first depth region (860) has said first focal point (870), and wherein said light (800) in said second depth region (860) has said second focal point (870).

10. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860), and wherein said plurality of depth regions (860) include plurality of pre-defined depth regions (861).

11. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860), and wherein said plurality of depth regions (860) are selectively influenced by an eye-tracking attribute (530) pertaining to the user (90).

12. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860), wherein said plurality of depth regions (860) include plurality of pre-defined depth regions (861), and wherein said plurality of pre-defined depth regions (861) are selectively influenced by an eye-tracking attribute (530) pertaining to the user (90).

13. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) is comprised of a plurality of subframes (852) displayed in a subframe sequence (854) wherein said plurality of subframes (852) includes a first subframe (852) and a second subframe (852), wherein said image (880) is comprised of a plurality of depth regions (860), said plurality of depth regions (860) including a first depth region (860) and a second depth region (860), wherein said tuning assembly (700) further provides for a plurality of focal points (870) of said light (800), said plurality of focal points (870) including a first focal point (870) for said first subframe (852) comprising said first depth region (860) and a second focal point (870) for said second subframe (852) comprising said second depth region (860).

14. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860), said plurality of depth regions (860) including a first depth region (860) perceived as being less than about 3 feet from the user (90), a second depth region (860) perceived as being between about 3-5 feet from the user (90), a third depth region (860) perceived as being between about 5-8 feet from the user (90), a fourth depth region (860) perceived as being between about 8-12 feet from the user (90), and a fifth depth region (860) perceived as being about 12 feet or further from the user (90).

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said image (880) is comprised by a plurality of depth regions (860), said system (100) further comprising a sensor assembly (500) that provides for capturing an eye tracking attribute (530) pertaining to the user (90), wherein said eye tracking attribute (530) dynamically influences the number of said depth regions (880).

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of focal points (870) includes one focal point (870) with an at least substantially infinite focal length.

17. A system (100) for displaying an image (880) to a user (90), said system (100) comprising:

an illumination assembly (200) that includes a light source (210) that provides for supplying a plurality of light (800) used to comprise said image (880);

an imaging assembly (300) that includes a modulator (320) that provides for creating an interim image (850) comprised from said light (800) provided by said illumination assembly (200);

a projection assembly (400) that provides for creating said image (880) from said light (800) in said interim image (850), wherein said projection assembly (400) provides for making said image (880) accessible to the user (90), and wherein said projection assembly (400) includes a curved mirror (420) and a splitter plate (430); and

a tuning assembly (700) that provides for modifying said light (800) to include a plurality of focal points (870), said tuning assembly (700) including at least one of;

(a) a tunable lens (710);

(b) a tunable lens array (720);

(c) a movable lens (730); and

(d) a deformable mirror (740);

wherein said image (880) is comprised of a plurality of subframes (852), each of the plurality of subframes (852) associated with one of a plurality of depth regions, each of the plurality of depth regions (860) having a different one of the plurality of focal points (870).

18. The system (100) of claim 17, said system (100) further comprising a sensor assembly (500), wherein said light (800) in said image (880) is comprised of a plurality of depth regions (860) and a plurality of focal points (870), wherein said first depth region (860) is at least substantially comprised of a light (800) with said first focal point (870), and wherein said second depth region (860) is at least substantially comprised of light (800) with said second focal point (870), wherein at least one said focal point (870) has an at least substantially infinite focal length, wherein said sensor assembly (500) uses said curved mirror (420) and said splitter plate (430) to capture an eye tracking attribute (530) from the user (90), and wherein said eye tracking attribute (530) selectively influences at least one said focal point (870).

19. The system (100) of claim 17, wherein said system (100) is a VRD visor apparatus (116) that provides for displaying a stereoscopic video (891).

20. A method (900) for displaying an image (880) to a user (90), said method (900) comprising:

supplying (910) the light (800) used to make the image (880);

modulating (920) the light (800) used to comprise the image (880);

modifying (940) the light (800) used to comprise the image (880) utilizing a tuning assembly so that the light (800) in said image (880) includes a plurality of depth regions (860) with a plurality of focal points (870) in a single image.

21. The method (900) of claim 20, wherein said image (880) is comprised of a plurality of subframes (852), each of the plurality of subframes associated with one of the plurality of depth regions, each of the plurality of depth regions (860) having a different one of the plurality of focal points (870).