Imaging structure emitter configurations

• US 9,779,643 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bohn, David D., Fleck, Rod G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tarko, Asmamaw G
• Application Number:
  US13/397,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20130208003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 348 51, 445 24
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/024 Scrolling of light from the illumination source over the display in combination with the scanning of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/342 using several illumination sources separately controlled corresponding to different display panel areas, e.g. along one dimension such as lines

Abstract

In embodiments of imaging structure emitter configurations, an imaging structure includes a silicon backplane with a driver pad array. The embedded light sources are formed on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, and the embedded light sources can be individually controlled at the driver pad array to generate and emit light. The embedded light sources are configured in multiple rows for scanning by an imaging unit to generate a scanned image for display.

Claims

1. An imaging structure, comprising:

a silicon backplane with a driver pad array;

embedded light sources formed on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, the embedded light sources configured as direct emitters for individual control at the driver pad array, the emitter material layer including a pyramid or cylindrical structure to improve optical extraction of emitted light; and

multiple rows of the embedded light sources configured to generate and emit the light for scanning by an imaging unit to generate a scanned image for display, the multiple rows of the embedded light sources configured in two rows of green embedded light sources, two rows of red embedded light sources, and two rows of blue embedded light sources for increased scanning speed of the imaging unit.

2. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the embedded light sources are formed in inorganic material as one of lasers or LEDs for direct light emission.

7. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the embedded light sources are configured to illuminate based on one of current modulation, pulse-width modulation, or specific time and power parameters.

8. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the imaging unit includes a mirror that performs the scanning of the multiple rows of the embedded light sources in one dimension to generate the scanned image for display.

9. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, further comprising a conductive material layer formed over the embedded light sources to form a p-n junction between the emitter material layer and the conductive material layer.

10. An imaging structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the emitter material layer includes a reflective structure to reflect the light to exit the embedded light sources.

20. An imaging structure as recited in claim 9, wherein the conductive material layer is formed with a rough surface effective to allow more light emission out from the emitter material layer rather than be reflected or dispersed.

3. A method, comprising:

forming a silicon backplane with a driver pad array that individually controls embedded light sources;

forming the embedded light sources as direct emitters on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, the emitter material layer including a pyramid or cylindrical structure to improve optical extraction of emitted light;

forming a conductive material layer over the embedded light sources; and

configuring the embedded light sources in multiple rows to generate and emit light for scanning by an imaging unit to generate a scanned image for display, the embedded light sources configured in a first row of green embedded light sources and a second row of alternating red and blue embedded light sources, the green embedded light sources generating luminance data for the scanned image, and the alternating red and blue embedded light sources generating chroma data for the scanned image.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the embedded light sources are formed in inorganic material as one of lasers or LEDs for direct light emission.

11. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the embedded light sources are configured to illuminate based on one of current modulation, pulse-width modulation, or specific time and power parameters.

12. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the imaging unit includes a mirror that performs the scanning of the multiple rows of the embedded light sources in one dimension to generate the scanned image for display.

13. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the emitter material layer includes a reflective structure to reflect the light to exit the embedded light sources.

19. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

the first row of the green embedded light sources have full resolution; and

the second row of the alternating red and blue embedded light sources have reduced resolution.

5. A wearable display device, comprising:

left and right display lens systems configured for augmented reality imaging;

left and right imaging units of the respective left and right display lens systems configured to generate an augmented reality image;

each of the left and right imaging units including an imaging structure that comprises;

a silicon backplane with a driver pad array configured to individually control embedded light sources that are formed as direct emitters on the driver pad array in an emitter material layer, a conductive material layer formed over the embedded light sources with a rough surface effective to allow more light emission out from the emitter material layer rather than be reflected or dispersed; and

multiple rows of the embedded light sources configured to generate and emit light for scanning to generate a scanned image for display.

6. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, wherein the embedded light sources are formed in inorganic material as one of lasers or LEDs for direct light emission.

14. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, wherein each of the embedded light sources are configured to illuminate based on one of current modulation, pulse-width modulation, or specific time and power parameters.

15. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, wherein each of the imaging units include a mirror that performs the scanning of the multiple rows of the embedded light sources in one dimension to generate the scanned image for display.

16. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, further comprising the conductive material layer formed over the embedded light sources to form a p-n junction between the emitter material layer and the conductive material layer.

17. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, wherein the emitter material layer includes a reflective structure to reflect the light to exit the embedded light sources.

18. A wearable display device as recited in claim 5, wherein the emitter material layer includes a pyramid or cylindrical structure to improve optical extraction of the emitted light.