Compact architecture for near-to-eye display system

Abstract

An eyepiece body of an eyepiece includes an input lens positioned to couple display light into the eyepiece body along a forward propagation path, a concave end reflector disposed at an opposite end of the eyepiece body from the input lens to reflect the display light back along a reverse propagation path, and a viewing region including a partially reflective surface that redirects at least a portion of the display light traveling along the reverse propagation path out of an eye-ward side of the eyepiece body along an emission path. The partially reflective surface is obliquely angled relative to the eye-ward side and the concave end reflector is titled relative to a top or bottom surface of the eyepiece body to collectively cause the emission path of the display light to be oblique to a normal vector of the eye-ward side in two orthogonal dimensions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This disclosure relates generally to the field of optics, and in particular but not exclusively, relates to head mounted displays.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]A head mounted display (“HMD”) (also referred to as a head wearable display) is a display device worn on or about the head. HMDs usually incorporate some sort of near-to-eye optical system to emit a light image within a few centimeters of the human eye. Single eye displays are referred to as monocular HMDs while dual eye displays are referred to as binocular HMDs. Some HMDs display only a computer generated image (“CGI”) while blocking the user's external view. These HMD displays are often referred to as virtual reality (“VR”) displays. Other HMDs are capable of superimposing CGI over a real-world view. This latter type of HMD can serve as the hardware platform for realizing augmented reality (“AR”). With AR the viewer's image of the world is augmented with an overlaying CGI. Another term used to refer to v...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a new type of head mounted display (HMD) that uses an eyepiece to emit display light along a tilted emission path that tilts in two dimensions. This new design offers improved viewing experiences and more realistic augmented reality applications. The technical effects of this invention include improved optical efficiency, reduced weight and size, and better compatibility with various practical and leisure applications. The patent also describes a process of operation and various views of the eyepiece. Overall, this new design provides a more comfortable and practical solution for wearing HMDs during regular daily activities.

Problems solved by technology

There is certain to be new found practical and leisure applications as the technology evolves; however, many of these applications are limited due to the cost, size, weight, limited field of view, small eyebox, or poor efficiency of conventional optical systems used to implement existing HMDs.

In particular, conventional HMDs often restrict the users view of the external world, making them awkward to wear during regular daily activities.

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