Mobile Device Light Guide Display

• US 20130258701A1
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Westerinen, William J., Robbins, Steven John, Badyal, Rajeev, Fleck, Rod G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,191,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0261 in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen

Abstract

Light guide techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a housing, a light guide supported by the housing, a light engine disposed within the housing and optically coupled to the light guide, and one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware. The one or more modules are configured to cause the light engine to output a user interface for display using the light guide along an image plane focused at infinity.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured in a hand-held form factor;

a light guide supported by the housing;

a light engine disposed within the housing and optically coupled to the light guide; and

one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware, the one or more modules configured to cause the light engine to output a user interface for display using the light guide along an image plane focused at infinity.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the light guide is configured to be at least partially transparent such that at least part of a physical surroundings of the apparatus is viewable through the light guide.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the at least part of the physical surroundings and at least part of the user interface are viewable concurrently using the light guide.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the light guide includes front and rear surfaces that oppose each other, each having touch sensors that are configured for use in detecting inputs to interact with the apparatus.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the light guide is configured to display the user interface at least partially in three dimensions.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more modules are further configured to execute applications and provide telephone functionality.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein the housing is configured as a tablet or mobile phone.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the user interface is viewable by a user when the light guide is positioned approximately one inch from an eye of the user and when positioned at approximately at an arm'"'"'s length from the user.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured in a hand-held form factor;

a light guide, supported by the housing, having a first side configured to be viewed by a user and a second side opposing the first side that includes one or more touch sensors;

a light engine disposed within the housing and optically coupled to the light guide; and

one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware, the one or more modules configured to cause the light engine to project a user interface for display using the light guide that is viewable via the first side and detect one or more inputs using the one or more touch sensors located via the second side, the one or more inputs usable to initiate one or more operations.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the one or more modules are configured to recognize one or more gestures from the one or more inputs detected from the one or more touch sensors.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the light guide further comprises at least one touch sensor included on the first side.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the light guide is configured to be at least partially transparent such that at least part of a physical surroundings of the apparatus is viewable through the light guide.

13. An apparatus as described in claim 12, wherein the at least part of the physical surroundings and at least part of the user interface are viewable concurrently using the light guide.

14. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the one or more modules are further configured to execute applications and provide telephone functionality.

15. An apparatus as described in claim 14, wherein the housing is configured as a tablet or mobile phone.

16. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the one or more modules are configured to cause the light engine to output the user interface for display using the light guide along an image plane focused at infinity.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a light guide supported by the housing having a first side that is viewable by a user, a second side opposing the first side, and switchable in-coupling optics;

a light engine disposed within the housing and optically coupled to the in-coupling optics of the light guide; and

one or more modules disposed within the housing and implemented at least partially in hardware, the one or more modules communicatively coupled to the switchable in-coupling optics to cause a switch between a first mode in which an output of the light engine is displayed through the first side of the light guide and a second mode in which an output of the light engine passes through the second side of the light guide.

18. An apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein the second side of the light guide is disposed proximal to at least one lens to transmit an output of the light engine in the second mode out a back of the housing that is positioned as opposing the first side of the light guide.

19. An apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein the switchable in-coupling optics are implemented at least partially using a switchable Bragg grating.

20. An apparatus as described in claim 17, wherein the light guide is configured to be at least partially transparent such that at least part of a physical surroundings of the apparatus is viewable through the light guide.