SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAY PANELS

• US 20100265163A1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovega Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovega Inc.
• Inventors: LEGERTON, Jerome, Sprague, Randall
• Granted Patent: US 8,786,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1876 Diffractive Fresnel lenses; Zone plates; Kinoforms G02B5/1842, G02B5/1847 take precedence; optical systems having diffractive correction means G02B27/0037; Fresnel lenses operating by refraction G02B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention provide for systems and apparatuses directed toward using a display panel to processes display information and non-display information. Further embodiments, utilize a display panel in conjunction with a contact lens assembly configured to process the display information. In one embodiment of the invention, a display system is provided, comprising: a display panel disposed on a head-borne apparatus such that when a viewer is wearing the head-borne apparatus, the display panel is positioned in close proximity to an eye of the viewer such that the eye is unable to focus on the display panel unassisted; and a contact lens having focusing optics that assists the eye in focusing on the display panel. Within the display system, the display panel has pixels and is configured without focusing optics, thereby allowing light emitted by the pixels to diverge in an unfocused manner.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a display panel disposed on a head-borne apparatus such that when a viewer is wearing the head-borne apparatus, the display panel is positioned in close proximity to an eye of the viewer such that the eye is unable to focus on the display panel unassisted; and

a contact lens having focusing optics that assists the eye in focusing on the display panel;

wherein the display panel has pixels and is configured without focusing optics, thereby allowing light emitted by the pixels to diverge unfocused.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the focusing optics includes a lens of 25 or more diopters.

3. The display system claim 1, wherein the display panel is further disposed such that an image surface of the display panel is at a first horizontal angle with respect to a line of sight of a human visual system.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein the first angle is between 45 and 135 degrees.

5. The display system of claim 3, wherein the first angle is adjustable.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel is further disposed such that the display panel has an orientation about a Z-axis.

7. The display system of claim 6, wherein the display panel is rotated about the Z-axis less than 45 degrees relative to a horizontal plane.

8. The display system of claim 6, wherein the orientation about the Z-axis is adjustable.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel is further disposed such that the display panel has a location along a Z-axis.

10. The display system of claim 9, wherein the Z-axis is defined by a line of sight of the human visual system.

11. The display system of claim 9, wherein the display panel is positioned between 5 and 50 millimeters from the eye.

12. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel is further disposed such that the display panel has an X orientation and a Y orientation about a gaze axis.

13. The display system of claim 12, wherein a geometric center of the display panel is positioned at an X position and a Y position such that the geometric center deviates less than 10 millimeters in either the X orientation or the Y orientation with respect to the gaze axis when the human visual system is directed toward the geometric center of the display panel.

14. The display system of claim 12, wherein a geometric center of the display panel has an adjustable X position and an adjustable Y position.

15. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display panel image that is controlled to maintain a desired perimetric shape.

16. The display system of claim 15, wherein the display panel image is determined by an electronic trapezoidal distortion correction.

17. The display system of claim 15, wherein the perimetric shape is adjustable.

18. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display panel image that is modulated to compensate for angular misalignment with a visual axis.

26. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display panel surface that is curved at a predetermined curvature that is spherical, cylindrical, aspherical, or rotationally asymmetrical.

27. The display system of claim 26, wherein the predetermined curvature conforms to a corresponding curvature of a spectacle lens.

28. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display panel pixel size that subtends an angle approximately less than 6 minutes of arc.

29. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel has a display panel pixel size that subtends an angle approximately less than 2 minutes of arc.

30. The display system of claim 1, wherein brightness of the display panel as seen by the viewer is approximately between 0.5 and 400 Cd/m².

31. The display system of claim 1, wherein brightness of its the display panel as seen by the viewer is approximately between 50 and 3000 Cd/m².

32. The display system of claim 1, wherein brightness of the display panel as seen by the viewer is adjustable.

33. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel as seen by the viewer occupies a field of view that is approximately between 15 and 120 degrees.

34. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display panel as seen by the viewer occupies a field of view that is greater than a first field of view the viewer can see at a single gaze angle.

19. A display system, comprising:

a first display panel disposed on a head-borne apparatus such that when a viewer is wearing the head-borne apparatus, the first display panel is positioned in close proximity to a first eye of the viewer such that the first eye is unable to focus on the first display panel unassisted, and such that a first geometric center of the first display panel is set to a first position relative to a first anatomic center of a first pupil of the first eye for a first defined plane of gaze;

a second display panel disposed on the head-borne apparatus such that when the viewer is wearing the head-borne apparatus, the second display panel is positioned in close proximity to a second eye of the viewer such that the second eye is unable to focus on the second display panel unassisted, and such that a second geometric center of the second display panel is set to a second position relative to a second anatomic center of a second pupil of the second eye for a second defined plane of gaze;

a first contact lens having focusing optics that assists the first eye in focusing on the display panel; and

a second contact lens having focusing optics that assists the second eye in focusing on the display panel;

wherein both the first and second display panels have pixels, and are configured without focusing optics, thereby allowing light emitted by the pixels to diverge unfocused.

20. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is substantially equal to a first pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately 6 meters or greater, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is substantially equal to a second pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately 6 meters or greater.

21. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is substantially equal to a first pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately 1 to 6 meters, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is substantially equal to a second pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately 1 to 6 meters.

22. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is substantially equal to a first pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately less than 1 meter, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is substantially equal to a second pupillary distance measure at a gaze of approximately less than 1 meter.

23. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is determined by a first measurement of the first eye from a first midline position of the head-borne apparatus, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is determined by a second measurement of the second eye from a midline position of the head-borne apparatus.

24. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is determined by a first measurement of a first vertical difference of a first height of a first pupil center of the first eye from a horizontal position of the head-borne apparatus, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is determined by a second measurement of a second vertical difference of a second height of a second pupil center of the second eye from a horizontal position of the head-borne apparatus.

25. The display system of claim 19, wherein the first position of the first geometric center is adjustable, and wherein the second position of the second geometric center is adjustable.