See-through computer display systems

• US 10,481,393 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Inventors: Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkney, Dawayne
• Application Number:
  US15/988,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20180267303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 359630-636, 359409-410, 359462, 359466, 359639, 359626, 359 13- 14, 359404, 359407, 351243, 351200, 351239, 351246, 351205-206, 351210-211, 351218, 351220-223, 348115, 345 7, 345 9, 345156, 349 11, 701 1, 310 49 R, 31015635, 310266-268, 31015602, 340438, 340980, 3409951, 34081547, 34081574
• 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 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 2027/0174 holographic
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/10 Beam splitting or combining systems polarising systems G02B27/28; mixing and splitting light signals using optical waveguides G02B6/28; beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, by dividing or superposing multiple light beams G02B27/0905
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1033 having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking includes an optics module comprising a light source and image source positioned on a same side of an angled partially-reflective surface, wherein the light source projects light off the surface to the image source which reflects the light as image light to the surface which transmits the image light along a first axis. The display also includes a flat combiner positioned to reflect the image light off of a first side and simultaneously transmit incident light through the first and a second side, along an optical axis perpendicular to the first axis to provide a view of a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment, and a controllable light blocking element arranged generally parallel to the flat combiner and in front of the second side to block light incident on the same optical axis as the image light.

Claims

1. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:

an optics module comprising a light source, an image source, and an angled partially-reflective surface, wherein the light source and the image source are positioned on a same side of the angled partially-reflective surface, wherein the light source projects light off of the angled partially-reflective surface to the image source, the image source reflects the projected light as image light to the angled partially-reflective surface, and the angled partially-reflective surface transmits the image light along a first axis;

a flat combiner having a first side and a second side positioned to reflect the image light off of the first side and simultaneously transmit incident light from an environment through the first and second side, along an optical axis generally perpendicular to the first axis that proceeds to a user'"'"'s eye to provide a view of a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of the environment; and

a controllable light blocking element arranged generally parallel to the flat combiner and in front of the second side so as to block incident light from an environment incident on the same optical axis as the image light.

2. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the flat combiner is a partial mirror.

3. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the flat combiner is a notch mirror.

4. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocking element comprises at least one of an electrochromic element, a polymer stabilized liquid crystal and a ferroelectric liquid crystal.

5. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocking element is attached to the second side of the flat combiner.

6. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocking element is attached to a sidewall of the optics module adjacent to the flat combiner.

7. The see-through head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the controllable light blocking element is segmented to provide an array of areas that are separately selectably controlled.

8. The see-through head mounted display of claim 7, wherein the array of areas are selectably controlled to block portions of the flat combiner that correspond to high contrast areas in the displayed image.

9. The see-through head mounted display of claim 8, wherein the array of areas are selectably controlled to block portions of the flat combiner that correspond to areas where information or objects are displayed.

10. A see-through head mounted display with controllable light blocking comprising:

an optics module comprising an image source adapted to emit image light along a first axis;

a flat combiner having a first side and a second side positioned to reflect the image light off of the first side and simultaneously transmit incident light from an environment through the first side and the second side, along an optical axis generally perpendicular to the first axis that proceeds to a user'"'"'s eye to provide a view of a displayed image overlaid onto a see-through view of an environment; and

a controllable light blocking element arranged generally parallel to the flat combiner and in front of the second side so as to block incident light from the environment incident on the same optical axis as the image light.

11. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the flat combiner is a partial mirror.

12. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the flat combiner is a notch mirror.

13. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the controllable light blocking element comprises at least one of an electrochromic element, a polymer stabilized liquid crystal and a ferroelectric liquid crystal.

14. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the controllable light blocking element is attached to the second side of the flat combiner.

15. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the controllable light blocking element is attached to a sidewall of the optics module adjacent to the flat combiner.

16. The see-through head mounted display of claim 10, wherein the controllable light blocking element is segmented to provide an array of areas that are separately selectably controlled.

17. The see-through head mounted display of claim 16, wherein the array of areas are selectably controlled to block portions of the flat combiner that correspond to high contrast areas in the displayed image.

18. The see-through head mounted display of claim 17, wherein the array of areas are selectably controlled to block portions of the flat combiner that correspond to areas where information or objects are displayed.