Optical configurations for head worn computing

• US 9,377,625 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Haddick, John D., Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US14/194,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/633, 345/8, 345/633, 351/158, D14/372, D16/309
• 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 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• 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 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/003 Light absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/008 Aspects relating to glasses for viewing stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to optical systems in head worn computing.

Claims

1. A head-worn computer, comprising:

a. an image light production facility including a platform including a plurality of multi-positional mirrors;

b. a lighting facility positioned along a side of the platform and adapted to produce polarized illumination light, with a first polarization state, along an optical axis directed away from a front surface of the platform and towards a substantially flat polarized reflective surface that reflects the illumination light such that the front surface of the platform is substantially uniformly illuminated;

c. wherein each of the multi-positional mirrors has a first state positioned to reflect portions of the illumination light, forming image light, on an optical axis in-line with an eye of a person wearing the head-worn computer;

d. a quarter wave retarder positioned over the plurality of multi-positional mirrors and between the substantially flat polarized reflective surface and the platform, so that the polarization state of the image light is opposite of the polarized illumination light, and as a result the image light is transmitted by the substantially flat polarized reflective surface; and

e. a holographic mirror in-line with the optical axis in-line with the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer and positioned on an angle with respect to a front surface of the platform to reflect the image light directly, without further reflections, towards the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer.

2. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the angle is greater than 45 degrees.

3. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein the holographic mirror is adapted to reflect a plurality of visible bandwidths of light and transmit substantially all other visible bandwidths other than the plurality of reflected visible bandwidths of light.

4. The head-worn computer of claim 3, wherein the holographic mirror transmits a majority of surrounding environment light incident on the holographic mirror.

5. The head-worn computer of claim 3, wherein the lighting facility produces a narrow bandwidth of light with a quantum dot illumination facility.

6. The head-worn computer of claim 3, wherein the lighting facility produces a narrow bandwidth of light with a light emitting diode lighting facility.

7. The head-worn computer of claim 3, wherein the lighting facility produces a diffuse cone of light with a backlit illumination facility.

8. The head-worn computer of claim 1, wherein each of the multi-positional mirrors have a second state positioned to reflect portions of the illumination light on an optical axis off-line with the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer, wherein the off-line optical axis terminates at a light absorption facility.

9. The head-worn computer of claim 1, further comprising an eye imaging camera positioned to image the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer by capturing light reflected off a subset of the plurality of mirrors wherein the subset of the plurality of mirrors are in a second state.

10. A head-worn computer, comprising:

a. an image light production facility including a platform including a plurality of multi-positional mirrors;

b. a lighting facility positioned along a side of the platform and adapted to produce polarized illumination light, with a first polarization state, along an optical axis directed away from a front surface of the platform and towards a substantially flat polarized reflective surface that reflects the illumination light such that the front surface of the platform is substantially uniformly illuminated;

c. wherein each of the multi-positional mirrors has a first state positioned to reflect portions of the illumination light, forming image light, on an optical axis in-line with an eye of a person wearing the head-worn computer;

d. a quarter wave retarder positioned over the plurality of multi-positional mirrors and between the substantially flat polarized reflective surface and the platform, so that the polarization state of the image light is opposite of the polarized illumination light, and as a result the image light is transmitted by the substantially flat polarized reflective surface; and

e. a notch mirror in-line with the optical axis in-line with the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer and positioned on an angle with respect to a front surface of the platform to reflect the image light directly towards the eye of the person wearing the head-worn computer.