Optical configurations for head-worn see-through displays

• US 9,798,148 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mentor Acquisition One, LLC (Magic Leap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Haddick, John D., Bietry, Joseph, Border, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US15/155,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20170023790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 359630, 345 7- 9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0152 involving arrangement aiming to get lighter or better balanced devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for providing high quality display images in see-through head-worn optics.

Claims

1. An optical system for a head-worn computer, comprising:

a polarized light source including a lens with positive optical power positioned in the head-worn computer within an upper optical assembly provides illumination light, wherein the illumination light is projected away from a reflective image source and towards a partially reflective partially transmissive surface and wherein the lens converges the illumination light into a small area in a central region of the partially reflective partially transmissive surface to prevent the illumination light from impinging on sidewalls of the upper optical assembly and thereby reduce scattering;

the partially reflective partially transmissive surface positioned to reflect the polarized light through a field lens and towards the reflective display, wherein the field lens expands the illumination light to illuminate an active area of the reflective image source; and

an eye image display optical assembly positioned to receive image light reflected from the reflective display, through the field lens and through the partially reflective partially transmissive surface and present the image light to an eye of a user wearing the head-worn computer.