Laminated alignment structure for eyecup assemblies in a virtual reality headset

• US 9,995,940 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Oculus VR, LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Tseng, Shie Ping Jeffrey, Richards, Evan M., Shen, Shizhe
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, William R
• Application Number:
  US15/158,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 351158
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0181 Adaptation to the pilot/driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

An eyecup assembly includes an electronic display element of a head-mounted display (HMD), a transparent plastic frame, an eyecup of the HMD, and a coupling interface. The plastic frame is laminated to the electronic display element and includes a center portion and a peripheral portion. The center portion includes an optical component and the peripheral portion including at least two protruding alignment structures. The eyecup includes alignment structures coupled to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame. The coupling interface interfaces with an alignment system. The alignment system is configured to align the eyecup assembly to the electronic display by adjusting a position of the electronic display relative to the eyecup so that a test image displayed by the electronic display after transmission through the optical component in the frame and an aperture of the eyecup is within a threshold value of a reference image.

Claims

1. An eyecup assembly comprising:

an electronic display element of a head-mounted display (HMD);

a transparent plastic frame that is laminated to the electronic display element, the frame including a center portion and a peripheral portion that circumscribes the center portion, the center portion including an optical component and the peripheral portion including at least two protruding alignment structures;

an eyecup of the HMD, the eyecup including alignment structures coupled to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame; and

a coupling interface that interfaces with an alignment system that is configured to align the eyecup assembly to the electronic display of the HMD by adjusting a position of the electronic display relative to the eyecup so that a test image displayed by the electronic display after transmission through the optical component in the frame and an aperture of the eyecup is within a threshold value of a reference image.

2. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the optical component is selected from a group consisting of:

a micro lens array, a low pass filter, a Fresnel lens, and some other optical element that affects the light emitted from the electronic display element.

3. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame and the optical component are a single monolithic device.

4. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

5. The eyecup assembly of claim 4, wherein one or more of the rigid mounting points are detachable from the eyecup assembly.

6. The eyecup assembly of claim 4, wherein the peripheral portion of the frame includes an additional protruding alignment structure and the eyecup includes an additional alignment structure.

7. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame via an adhesive to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

8. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame via a mechanical coupling to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

9. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame includes at least one fiducial for optical alignment of the frame to the electronic display element.

10. The eyecup assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic display element includes at least one fiducial for optical alignment of the frame to the electronic display element.

11. An eyecup assembly comprising:

an electronic display element of a head-mounted display (HMD);

a plastic frame that is laminated to the electronic display element, the frame including a center portion and a peripheral portion that circumscribes the center portion, the center portion including an optical component and the peripheral portion including at least two protruding alignment structures;

an eyecup of the HMD, the eyecup including alignment structures coupled to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame; and

a coupling interface that interfaces with an alignment system that is configured to align the eyecup assembly to the electronic display of the HMD by adjusting a position of the electronic display relative to the eyecup so that a test image displayed by the electronic display after transmission through the optical component in the frame and an aperture of the eyecup is within a threshold value of a reference image.

12. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the optical component is selected from a group consisting of:

a micro lens array, a low pass filter, a Fresnel lens, and some other optical element that affects the light emitted from the electronic display element.

13. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the frame and the optical component are a single monolithic device.

14. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

15. The eyecup assembly of claim 14, wherein one or more of the rigid mounting points are detachable from the eyecup assembly.

16. The eyecup assembly of claim 14, wherein the peripheral portion of the frame includes an additional protruding alignment structure and the eyecup includes an additional alignment structure.

17. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame via an adhesive to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

18. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame via a mechanical coupling to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

19. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the frame includes at least one fiducial for optical alignment of the frame to the electronic display element.

20. The eyecup assembly of claim 11, wherein the center portion of the frame is transparent.

21. An eyecup assembly comprising:

a transparent plastic frame that is laminated to an electronic display element of a head-mounted display (HMD), the frame including a center portion and a peripheral portion that circumscribes the center portion, the center portion including an optical component and the peripheral portion including at least two protruding alignment structures; and

an eyecup of the HMD, the eyecup including alignment structures coupled to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame, wherein an alignment system is configured to align the eyecup assembly to the electronic display of the HIVID by adjusting a position of the electronic display relative to the eyecup so that a test image displayed by the electronic display after transmission through the optical component in the frame and an aperture of the eyecup is within a threshold value of a reference image.

22. The eyecup assembly of claim 21, wherein the optical component is selected from a group consisting of:

a micro lens array, a low pass filter, a Fresnel lens, and some other optical element that affects the light emitted from the electronic display element.

23. The eyecup assembly of claim 21, wherein the frame and the optical component are a single monolithic device.

24. The eyecup assembly of claim 21, wherein the alignment structures are affixed to the at least two protruding alignment structures on the frame to create corresponding rigid mounting points.

25. The eyecup assembly of claim 24, wherein one or more of the rigid mounting points are detachable from the eyecup assembly.

26. The eyecup assembly of claim 24, wherein the peripheral portion of the frame includes an additional protruding alignment structure and the eyecup includes an additional alignment structure.

27. The eyecup assembly of claim 21, wherein the frame includes at least one fiducial for optical alignment of the frame to the electronic display element.

28. The eyecup assembly of claim 21, wherein the electronic display element includes at least one fiducial for optical alignment of the frame to the electronic display element.