System for and method of extending vertical field of view in head up display utilizing a waveguide combiner

• US 8,903,207 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Brown, Robert D., Stahl, Kurt A., Wood, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GUY G
• Application Number:
  US13/251,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 385/15, 385/31, 385/37, 359 1- 15, 359566-567, 359630-637
• US Class Current: 385/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements

Abstract

A Head Up Display can be utilized to find light from an energy source. The Head Up Display includes a first waveguide having a first input coupler and a first output coupler. The Head Up Display can also include a second waveguide having a second input coupler and a second output coupler. The first waveguide has a first major surface and the second waveguide has a second major surface, which are disposed approximately parallel to each other. The first waveguide and the second waveguide are positioned as a combiner and allowing viewing an outside feed and information from an image source. The first input coupler diffracts light in the first field of view into the first waveguide and light in a second field of view reaches the second input coupler and is diffracted into the second waveguide.

Claims

1. A head up display for providing light from an image source, the image source comprising a backlight having a first bank and a second bank, the head up display comprising:

a first waveguide having a first input coupler and a first output coupler; and

a second waveguide having a second input coupler and a second output coupler, the first waveguide having a first major surface and the second waveguide having a second major surface, wherein the first major surface being disposed approximately parallel to the second major surface, wherein the first waveguide and the second waveguide being positioned as a combiner and allow viewing of an outside scene and information from the image source, wherein the first input coupler diffracts light in a first field of view into the first waveguide and light in a second field of view reaches the second input coupler and is diffracted into the second waveguide wherein light from the first bank and light from the second bank is switched in synchronism with control of light through the first input coupler.

2. The head up display of claim 1, wherein the first output coupler is a diffraction grating and is at least partially displaced on the first major surface from the second output coupler on the second major surface and wherein the first output coupler and the second output coupler overlap in a small region.

3. The head up display of claim 2, wherein the waveguide provides pupil expansion.

4. The head up display of claim 3, wherein the pupil expansion is in the at least one direction.

5. The head up display of claim 1, wherein the first input coupler is a volumetric grating or a switchable Bragg grating.

6. The head up display of claim 5, wherein the first input coupler is a holographic grating.

7. The head up display of claim 1, wherein light from the image source enters the first waveguide and leaves the first waveguide on a same side.

8. The head up display of claim 7, wherein the light travels through the waveguide by total internal reflection.

9. The head up display of claim 1, wherein the first output coupler and the second output coupler are surface relief gratings.

10. The head up display of claim 9, wherein the second input coupler is a surface relief grating or a volumetric grating.

11. An optical system for a head up display including an image source having a light source, the light source having a first bank and a second bank, the optical system comprising:

a combiner comprising a first waveguide and a second waveguide, the first waveguide including a first input diffraction grating and a first output diffraction grating, the second waveguide including a second input diffraction grating and a second output diffraction grating, wherein the first output diffraction grating provides light for a first field of view and the second output diffraction grating provides light for a second field of view, wherein light is provided through the first input diffraction grating in synchronism with operation of the first bank.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first input diffraction grating allows a portion of input light to reach the second input diffraction grating and provides another portion of the input light to the first output diffraction grating.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second output diffraction grating, the first output diffraction grating and the second input diffraction grating are surface relief gratings.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first input diffraction grating is disposed on a first side of the first waveguide, the first output diffraction grating disposed on a second side of the first waveguide, the first side being opposite the second side, the second input grating is disposed on a first side of the second waveguide, the second output diffraction grating disposed on a second side of the second waveguide, the first side being opposite the second side.