Head-up multiplex display with redirection optic

• US 10,623,722 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Markovsky, Igor, Nikkhoo, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nokham, James S
• Application Number:
  US15/154,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing

Abstract

A head-up display system comprises a microprojector, first and second viewer optics, a redirection optic, and an electronic controller. Switchable electronically between first and second optical states, the redirection optic is configured to receive a display image from the microprojector, to convey the display image, in the first optical state, to the first viewer optic, and to convey the display image, in the second optical state, to the second viewer optic. The electronic controller is configured to, during a first interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the first optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on first image data. The electronic controller is further configured to, during a second interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the second optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on second image data.

Claims

1. A head-up display system comprising:

a microprojector;

a first viewer optic;

a second viewer optic fixed in position relative to the first viewer optic;

a redirection optic switchable electronically between a transmissive first optical state and a reflective second optical state, the redirection optic being configured to receive a display image from the microprojector, to reflect the display image in the first optical state to the first viewer optic, and to transmit the display image in the second optical state to the second viewer optic;

a fold reflector, wherein a position of one or more of the redirection optic and the fold reflector is adjustable parallel to an optical axis of the first and second viewer optics to cause the display image to be shifted laterally in the first viewer optic or the second viewer optic, thereby enabling adjustment of an interpupilary distance of the display system; and

an electronic controller configured to, during a first interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the first optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on first image data,

the electronic controller configured to, during a second interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the second optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on second image data.

2. The display system of claim 1 wherein the first viewer optic is aligned to a right eye of a user, wherein the second viewer optic is aligned to a left eye of the user.

3. The display system of claim 2 wherein the first and second image data encode stereoscopic display imagery.

4. The display system of claim 1 wherein a first optical path length from the redirection optic to the first viewer optic is substantially equal to a second optical path length from the redirection optic to the second viewer optic.

5. The display system of claim 1 wherein the redirection optic includes a polarizable liquid crystal, and wherein the electronic controller is configured to control polarization of the liquid crystal.

6. The display system of claim 1 wherein the redirection optic includes a piezoelectric element, and wherein the electronic controller is configured to bias the piezoelectric element.

7. The display system of claim 1 wherein the redirection optic is a micromirror array.

8. The display system of claim 1 wherein the microprojector includes a focusing lens.

9. The display system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second viewer optics is a pupil-expansion optic.

10. The display system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second viewer optics includes a waveguide.

11. The display system of claim 1 wherein the microprojector is one or more of a liquid crystal, liquid-crystal-on-silicon, digital light processing, and organic light-emitting diode projector.

12. A stereoscopic head-up display system, comprising:

a microprojector operatively coupled to a stereo redirection optic, to a right redirection optic, and to a left redirection optic;

a right-forward near-eye viewer optic and a right-peripheral near-eye viewer optic;

a left-forward near-eye viewer optic and a left-peripheral near-eye viewer optic,

the stereo redirection optic being switchable electronically between first and second optical states and configured to receive a display image from the microprojector, to convey the display image, in the first optical state, to the right redirection optic, and to convey the display image, in the second optical state, to the left redirection optic,

the right redirection optic being switchable electronically between the first and second optical states and configured to receive the display image from the stereo redirection optic, to convey the display image, in one of the first and second optical states, to the right-forward viewer optic, and to convey the display image, in another of the first and second optical states, to the right-peripheral viewer optic,

the left redirection optic being switchable electronically between the first and second optical states and configured to receive the display image from the stereo redirection optic, to convey the display image, in one of the first and second optical states, to the left-forward viewer optic, and to convey the display image, in another of the first and second optical states, to the left-peripheral viewer optic; and

an electronic controller configured to switch one or more of the stereo redirection optic, the right redirection optic, and the left redirection optic between the first and second optical states and synchronously cause the microprojector to form the display image based successively on right-forward, right-peripheral, left-forward, and left-peripheral image data.

13. The display system of claim 12 further comprising a fold reflector configured to reflect the display image en route to the right-forward near-eye viewer optic or the left near-eye viewer optic.

14. The display system of claim 12 further comprising a fold reflector, wherein a position of one or more of the redirection optic and the fold reflector is adjustable, and wherein adjustment of the position causes the display image to be shifted laterally in the right-forward near-eye viewer optic or the left near-eye viewer optic, thereby enabling adjustment of an interpupilary distance in the display system.

15. A head-up display system comprising:

a microprojector;

a forward viewer optic aligned to a forward field of view of a right eye of a user;

a peripheral viewer optic aligned to a peripheral field of view of the right eye of the user;

a redirection optic switchable electronically between first and second optical states, the redirection optic configured to receive a display image from the microprojector, to convey the display image, in the first optical state, to the forward viewer optic, and to convey the display image, in the second optical state, to the peripheral viewer optic; and

an electronic controller configured to, during a first interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the first optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on forward image data, the electronic controller configured to, during a second interval, switch and maintain the redirection optic in the second optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on peripheral image data.

16. The display system of claim 15 wherein to convey the display image to the first viewer optic in the first optical state, the redirection optic reflects the display image, and to convey the display image to the second viewer optic in the second optical state, the redirection optic transmits the display image.

17. The display system of claim 15 wherein to convey the display image to the first viewer optic in the first optical state, the redirection optic reflects the display image in a first direction, and to convey the display image to the second viewer optic in the second optical state, the redirection optic reflects the display image in a second direction different from the first direction.

18. The display system of claim 15 wherein the redirection optic is one of a plurality of redirection optics switchable electronically between first and second optical states and configured to receive the display image from the microprojector, and wherein at least one of the redirection optics is configured to convey the display image to another of the redirection optics.

19. The display system of claim 15 wherein the redirection optic is a right redirection optic, the display system further comprising:

a left redirection optic complementary to the right redirection optic; and

a stereo redirection optic switchable electronically between first and second optical states, the stereo redirection optic configured to receive the display image from the microprojector, to convey the display image, in the first optical state, to the right redirection optic, and to convey the display image, in the second optical state, to the left redirection optic,

the electronic controller further configured to, during the first and second intervals, switch and maintain the stereo redirection optic in the first optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on right image data,

the electronic controller further configured to, during third and fourth intervals, switch and maintain the stereo redirection optic in the second optical state and cause the microprojector to form the display image based on left image data.

20. The display system of claim 15 further comprising a focusing optic arranged optically downstream of the redirection optic, wherein the focusing optic is configured to correct a ray vergence from the microprojector to account for a difference in optical path between forward and peripheral fields of view.