See-through computer display systems

• US 9,310,610 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US14/562,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 345 7- 9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0152 involving arrangement aiming to get lighter or better balanced devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0194 with combiner of laminated type, for optical or mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/10 Beam splitting or combining systems polarising systems G02B27/28; mixing and splitting light signals using optical waveguides G02B6/28; beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, by dividing or superposing multiple light beams G02B27/0905
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1033 having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to providing see-through computer display optics.

Claims

1. A compact optics module for a head mounted display including a DLP image source comprising:

a. a light source that provides illumination light directly onto the DLP image source;

b. the DLP image source providing reflected image light comprising on-state light and off-state light;

c. at least one light trap at a side of the optics module to absorb the off-state light;

d. a field lens provided at a distance from the DLP image source that is sufficient for direct illumination;

e. a power lens to provide a viewable field of view comprising the image light;

f. a fold mirror to reflect the on-state light provided by the DLP image source toward the power lens; and

g. a combiner to reflect the on-state light toward a user'"'"'s eye to provide a displayed image and simultaneously provide a see-through view of a surrounding environment.

2. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the combiner is a partial mirror.

3. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the combiner is a notch mirror.

4. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the illumination light and the image light are unpolarized.

5. The compact optics module of claim 1,

further comprising a camera positioned behind the fold mirror such that the camera shares an optical axis with the optics module so that images of the user'"'"'s eye can be captured from the perspective of directly in front of the eye.

6. The compact optics module of claim 5, wherein the fold mirror is a reflective polarizer.

7. The compact optics module of claim 6, wherein the image light and the light captured by the camera are both polarized but with opposite polarization states.

8. The compact optics module of claim 5, wherein the fold mirror is a partial reflector.

9. The compact optics module of claim 8, wherein the image light and the light captured by the camera are both polarized but with opposite polarization states.

10. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the see-through view of the environment includes unpolarized light and the combiner transmits over 50% of the unpolarized light.

11. The compact optics module of claim 10, wherein the combiner is a partial mirror.

12. The compact optics module of claim 10, wherein the combiner is a notch mirror.

13. The compact optics module of claim 1, further comprising a rear optical element comprising at least one of a protective plate and a prescriptive optic.