See-through computer display systems

• US 9,436,006 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• 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:
  US14/561,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

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 with reduced stray light comprising:

a reflective image source;

a polarized light source illuminating the reflective image source;

an angled partial reflector to redirect image light from the reflective image source towards a lens element with at least one diffractive surface;

a combiner to redirect the image light along with transmitted light from the environment toward a user'"'"'s eye,

wherein the lens element and combiner provide the image light over a field of view that is viewable by the user'"'"'s eye; and

an absorptive polarizer adjacent to the lens element oriented to absorb incident illumination light and transmit image light,

wherein the angled partial reflector redirects the image light by more than 90 degrees.

2. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the polarized light source is angled and positioned adjacent to the angled partial reflector.

3. The compact optics module of claim 2, wherein the polarized light source further comprises a turning film to redirect the illumination light directly toward the reflective image source.

4. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the lens element comprises more than one lens element.

5. The compact optics module of claim 1, wherein the reflective image source comprises an LCOS or a FLCOS.

6. A compact optics module for a head mounted display with reduced stray light comprising:

a reflective image source;

a polarized light source illuminating the reflective image source;

an angled partial reflector to redirect image light from the reflective image source towards a lens element with at least one diffractive surface;

a combiner to redirect the image light along with transmitted light from the environment toward a user'"'"'s eye, wherein the lens element and combiner provide the image light over a field of view that is viewable by the user'"'"'s eye; and

an absorptive polarizer adjacent to the lens element oriented to absorb incident illumination light and transmit image light, wherein the combiner redirects the image light by 90 degrees.

7. The compact optics module of claim 6, wherein the polarized light source is angled and positioned adjacent to the angled partial reflector.

8. The compact optics module of claim 7, wherein the polarized light source further comprises a turning film to redirect the illumination light directly toward the reflective image source.

9. The compact optics module of claim 6, wherein the lens element comprises more than one lens element.

10. The compact optics module of claim 6, wherein the reflective image source comprises an LCOS or a FLCOS.

11. A compact optics module for a head mounted display with reduced stray light comprising:

a reflective image source;

a polarized light source illuminating the reflective image source;

an angled partial reflector to redirect image light from the reflective image source towards a lens element with at least one diffractive surface;

a combiner to redirect the image light along with transmitted light from the environment toward a user'"'"'s eye, wherein the lens element and combiner provide the image light over a field of view that is viewable by the user'"'"'s eye; and

an absorptive polarizer adjacent to the lens element oriented to absorb incident illumination light and transmit image light, wherein the combiner redirects the image light by more than 90 degrees.

12. The compact optics module of claim 11, wherein the polarized light source is angled and positioned adjacent to the angled partial reflector.

13. The compact optics module of claim 12, wherein the polarized light source further comprises a turning film to redirect the illumination light directly toward the reflective image source.

14. The compact optics module of claim 11, wherein the lens element comprises more than one lens element.

15. The compact optics module of claim 11, wherein the reflective image source comprises an LCOS or a FLCOS.

16. A compact optics module for a head mounted display with reduced stray light comprising:

a reflective image source;

a polarized light source illuminating the reflective image source;

an angled partial reflector to redirect image light from the reflective image source towards a lens element with at least one diffractive surface;

a combiner to redirect the image light along with transmitted light from the environment toward a user'"'"'s eye, wherein the lens element and combiner provide the image light over a field of view that is viewable by the user'"'"'s eye; and

an absorptive polarizer adjacent to the lens element oriented to absorb incident illumination light and transmit image light, wherein the light from the environment is unpolarized and the combiner transmits over 50% of the unpolarized light from the environment and, wherein the combiner is a notch mirror.