Grating in a light transmissive illumination system for see-through near-eye display glasses

• US 9,097,890 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Miller, Gregory D., Border, John N., Osterhout, Ralph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/429,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,227 Days
• Field of Search: 715/756, 715/757, 715/773, 349/11, 345/629, 353/20, 359/630
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0147 comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

This disclosure concerns an interactive head-mounted eyepiece with an integrated processor for handling content for display and an integrated image source for introducing the content to an optical assembly through which the user views a surrounding environment and the displayed content, wherein the optical assembly comprises a light transmissive illumination system and an LED lighting system coupled to a light transmissive illumination system of the optical assembly. A grating of the illumination system directs light from the LED lighting system to uniformly irradiate a reflective image display to produce an image that is reflected through the illumination system to provide the displayed content to the user.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an interactive head-mounted device including an optical assembly comprising a light transmissive illumination system, the optical assembly being configured to display virtual content and to enable viewing of at least a portion of a surrounding environment,

an integrated processor for processing the virtual content for display,

an integrated image source for introducing the virtual content to the optical assembly, the integrated image source including a reflective image display, and

a lighting system coupled to the light transmissive illumination system,

wherein the light transmissive illumination system comprises a planar illumination facility comprising

a waveguide having an end configured to input light from the lighting system, and

the planar illumination facility also comprising a grating configured to direct light input from the lighting system at the end of the waveguide toward a face of the waveguide that is transverse to the end of the waveguide to output the light from the face of the waveguide toward the reflective image display to uniformly irradiate the reflective image display to produce an image, and wherein the reflective image display is configured to reflect the image through the waveguide for display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the grating comprises an interferometric grating.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the grating is substantially fully transparent to light reflected through the light transmissive illumination system from the reflective image display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflective image display is configured to reflect light through the planar illumination facility of the light transmissive illumination system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the head-mounted device comprises a supporting structure configured to support the planar illumination facility, and wherein the supporting structure comprises an opening configured to pass light reflected from the reflective image display.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting system comprises one or more lasers.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more lasers are coupled to the planar illumination facility via a waveguide wavelength converter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the light transmissive illumination system is configured to utilize optical feedback to reduce laser speckle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting system comprises one or more light emitting diodes.

10. In a head-mounted device, a method of producing an image, the method comprising:

producing light via a light source;

directing light from the light source into an end of a waveguide of a planar illumination facility, the waveguide comprising a grating structure;

directing the light through the waveguide via total internal reflection;

turning the light via the grating structure toward a face of the waveguide that is transverse to the end of the waveguide and out of the planar illumination facility toward a reflective image display; and

producing an image from the light via the reflective image display and directing the image through the waveguide for display on a see-through display of the head-mounted device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein turning the light via the grating structure comprises reflecting the light via an interferometric grating.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising passing the image through an opening in a supporting structure for the planar illumination facility after directing the image through the planar illumination facility.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein producing light via the light source comprises producing light via one or more lasers.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling light from the one or more lasers into the planar illumination facility via a waveguide wavelength converter.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing optical feedback to reduce laser speckle.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein producing light via the light source comprises producing light via one or more light emitting diodes.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein directing the image through the planar illumination facility comprises passing the image through the grating structure without turning the image.

18. An interactive head-mounted device, comprising:

an optical assembly comprising a light transmissive illumination system, the optical assembly being configured to display virtual content and to enable viewing of at least a portion of a surrounding environment;

an integrated processor;

an integrated image source for introducing the virtual content to the optical assembly, the integrated image source including a reflective image display; and

a laser light source coupled to the light transmissive illumination system, wherein the light transmissive illumination system comprises a planar illumination facility comprising

a waveguide with an end configured to receive an input of light from the laser light source and a face that is transverse to the end,

the planar illumination facility also comprising a grating configured to redirect the light received from the laser light source at the end of the waveguide toward the face of the waveguide to output the light from the waveguide toward the reflective image display to uniformly irradiate the reflective image display to produce an image, and wherein the reflective image display is configured to reflect the image through the waveguide for display.

19. The interactive head-mounted device of claim 18, wherein one or more lasers of the laser light source are coupled to the planar illumination facility via a waveguide wavelength converter.

20. The interactive head-mounted device of claim 19, wherein the light transmissive illumination system is configured to utilize optical feedback to reduce laser speckle.