A waveguide device and an AR display device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a waveguide device, including a waveguide unit, a coupling grating, a refractive coupling element, and a refractive lens; wherein the waveguide unit and the refractive coupling element are embedded in the refractive lens and are perpendicular to the optical axis of the refractive lens; the refractive lens is a light-transmitting lens with refractive power; different positions on the refractive coupling element have different deflection directions for the projection light in the waveguide unit, and are used to convert the projection light in the waveguide unit into convergent light or diffused light together with the side of the refractive lens close to the human eye, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position. In the present application, the waveguide unit and the refractive coupling element are embedded in the refractive lens together, and on the basis of adjusting the diopter of the picture input into the eyes of the wearer with abnormal vision in the implementation, the spatial volume of the AR display device is reduced, and the light energy loss is reduced. The present application also provides an AR display device with the above-mentioned beneficial effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of AR display technology, and in particular to a waveguide device and an AR display device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of AR technology, AR glasses and other augmented reality display devices are widely used in all walks of life. However, the working principle of traditional AR display devices is designed based on the normal vision of the human eye, and the projection light received by the human eye is generally parallel light.

[0003] However, among the people who actually use AR display devices, the proportion of myopic people is relatively large, and it is likely to grow. If a user with myopia wears the AR display device, he or she needs to wear his or her myopic glasses at the same time, which brings inconvenience to the user in using the AR display device and reduces the user's experience. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a waveguide device and an AR display device, which can adjust the imaging position of the output light to a certain extent, thereby meeting the wearing needs of users with abnormal vision, and on this basis, avoid the problem of excessive size of the waveguide device and even the AR display device, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the AR display device.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a waveguide device, comprising:

[0006] A waveguide unit; a coupling grating arranged in contact with the end of the waveguide unit and used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit; a refractive coupling element arranged in contact with the waveguide unit and used to couple the projection light out of the waveguide unit; and a refractive lens;

[0007] The waveguide unit and the refractive outcoupling element are embedded in the refractive lens and are perpendicular to the optical axis of the refractive lens. The refractive lens is a light-transmitting lens with refractive power.

[0008] The deflection directions of the projection light in the waveguide unit at different positions on the refractive outcoupling element are different, and the refractive outcoupling element is used to convert the projection light in the waveguide unit into convergent light or diffused light together with the side of the refractive lens close to the human eye, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position.

[0009] In an optional embodiment, the refractive outcoupling element is a HOE reflection grating or a HOE transmission grating.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the refractive outcoupling element includes an outcoupling grating and a HOE lens with optical power.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the refractive lens is a plastic translucent lens.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the refractive lens is a convex lens or a concave lens.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the coupling-in grating is a transmission grating, and the coupling-in grating is not embedded in the refractive lens.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the coupling-in grating is a reflection grating, and the end of the waveguide unit where the coupling-in grating is arranged is not embedded in the refractive lens.

[0015] The present application also provides an AR display device, characterized in that it includes the waveguide device as described in any one of the above items, and a projection optical machine;

[0016] The projection optical machine is used to project projection light onto the waveguide device;

[0017] The waveguide device is used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit by coupling light in, and couple out the projection light by the refractive outcoupling element.

[0018] The waveguide device provided by the present invention comprises a waveguide unit; a coupling grating arranged in contact with the end of the waveguide unit and used for coupling the projection light into the waveguide unit; a refractive coupling element arranged in contact with the waveguide unit and used for coupling the projection light in the waveguide unit; and a refractive lens; wherein the waveguide unit and the refractive coupling element are embedded in the refractive lens and are perpendicular to the optical axis of the refractive lens; the refractive lens is a light-transmitting lens with refractive power; different positions on the refractive coupling element have different deflection directions for the projection light in the waveguide unit, and are used to convert the projection light in the waveguide unit into convergent light or diffused light together with the side of the refractive lens close to the human eye, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position.

[0019] In the waveguide device of the present application, a refractive outcoupling element is bonded to the waveguide unit, and the refractive outcoupling element can couple the projection light in the waveguide unit and adjust the diopter of the coupled projection light, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position; at the same time, a refractive lens is also provided, which can adjust the diopter of the imaging light in the environment, and also adjust the imaging position of the ambient light to a certain extent. Through the cooperation between the refractive outcoupling element and the refractive lens, the projection light and the ambient light output by the waveguide device can have a certain diopter, which can meet the viewing needs of the wearer with abnormal vision.

[0020] Furthermore, the waveguide unit and the refractive coupling element are integrally embedded in the refractive lens to avoid the problem of a gap between the refractive lens and the waveguide unit. This can not only reduce the volume of the space occupied by the waveguide device, but also reduce the number of dielectric layers that the light needs to pass through the waveguide device, thereby reducing light energy loss. Applying the waveguide device to an AR display device can reduce the volume of the AR display device and increase the brightness of the output light.

[0021] The present application also provides an AR display device having the above-mentioned beneficial effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions of the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the optical path structure of a waveguide device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another optical path structure of a waveguide device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another optical path structure of a waveguide device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another optical path structure of the waveguide device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In a waveguide device, a waveguide unit is generally a flat plate structure. In a conventional waveguide unit, a coupling waveguide unit for coupling the projection light into the waveguide unit is provided at the end of the waveguide unit, and the projection light is totally reflected in the waveguide unit, and a coupling-out element for coupling the projection light out in parallel is provided on one side surface of the waveguide unit.

[0028] For a waveguide unit that outputs parallel light, the imaging position of the projection light is at infinity, which is suitable for users with normal vision. However, for users with myopia or hyperopia, only a blurred image can be observed.

[0029] In order to enable users with abnormal vision such as myopia or hyperopia to directly watch the image displayed by the projection light, the waveguide unit can be used in conjunction with a refractive lens for correcting the user's vision. The refractive lens is generally a convex lens or a concave lens. Obviously, the outer surfaces of the refractive lens and the waveguide unit are one curved surface and one concave surface, respectively, so the two cannot be directly fitted and connected, and a gap must be left between the two.

[0030] However, current AR display devices require increasingly smaller size. Adding a refractive lens to the waveguide unit will increase the overall volume of the waveguide device. In addition, a gap between the refractive lens and the waveguide unit further increases the overall volume of the waveguide device, which is not conducive to the miniaturization of AR display devices.

[0031] To this end, the present application provides a technical solution that can adjust the refractive power of the projection light and reduce the spatial structure of the waveguide and the AR display device to a certain extent.

[0032] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the scheme of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, Figures 1 to 4 Schematic diagrams of four different optical path structures of a waveguide device provided in an embodiment of the present application, the waveguide device may include:

[0034] A waveguide unit 1; a coupling grating 2 arranged in contact with the end of the waveguide unit 1 and used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit 1; a refractive coupling element 3 arranged in contact with the waveguide unit 1 and used to couple the projection light in the waveguide unit 1; and a refractive lens 4;

[0035] The waveguide unit 1 and the refractive outcoupling element 3 are embedded in the refractive lens 4 and are perpendicular to the optical axis of the refractive lens 4. The refractive lens 4 is a light-transmitting lens with refractive power.

[0036] Different positions on the refractive outcoupling element 3 have different deflection directions for the projection light in the waveguide unit 1, and are used to convert the projection light in the waveguide unit 1 into convergent light or diffused light together with the side of the refractive lens 4 close to the human eye, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, the projection optical machine 5 is incident into the waveguide unit 1 from the end of the refractive lens 4, and based on the deflection effect of the coupled grating 2 on the light, the reflection angle of the projection light transmitted in the waveguide unit 1 satisfies the total reflection condition, that is, the projection light is transmitted by total reflection inside the waveguide unit 1.

[0038] In addition, a refractive outcoupling element 3 is also attached to the surface of the waveguide unit 1. When the projection light inside the waveguide unit 1 is incident on the interface between the waveguide unit 1 and the refractive outcoupling element 3, a part of the projection light can be coupled out and transmitted through the refractive lens to the human eye, and the other part continues to be totally reflected in the waveguide unit 1 until it is incident on the waveguide unit 1 and the refractive outcoupling element 3 again next time.

[0039] In conventional waveguide devices, the light coupled out from the waveguide unit 1 is generally incident on the human eye in parallel. The refractive outcoupling element 3 in this embodiment adjusts the diopter of the coupled projection light, so that the projection light inside the waveguide unit 1 is from the end close to the coupling-in grating 2 to the end far from the coupling-in grating 2, and the angles of the projection light coupled out from different positions are the same, so that the projection light coupled out from different positions on each waveguide unit is convergent light or diffuse light, and the imaging position of the projection light is adjusted to a non-infinite distance accordingly. For users with myopia, the refractive outcoupling element 3 can modulate the projection light into diffuse light incident on the human eye, and on the contrary, for users with hyperopia, the refractive outcoupling element 3 can modulate the projection light into convergent light incident on the human eye, thereby achieving the adjustment of the diopter of the projection light imaging.

[0040] However, when the waveguide device is used in an AR display device, not only the projection light enters the human eye through the waveguide unit 1, but also the light of the physical scene in the environment is transmitted through the waveguide unit 1 and enters the human eye. Obviously, for users with abnormal vision, it is obviously impossible to see the scene in the real environment through the waveguide unit 1 with a flat structure. For this reason, a refractive lens 4 with a refractive power is used in this embodiment to adjust the imaging refractive power of the scene light in the environment. The refractive lens 4 can be set as a convex lens or a concave lens based on the user's vision.

[0041] In this embodiment, the refractive lens 4 and the waveguide unit 1 with the refractive outcoupling element 3 cooperate to refract the ambient light and projection light incident on the human eye, respectively, so that users with abnormal vision can also view clear augmented reality images through the waveguide device.

[0042] As mentioned above, the refractive lens 4 is generally a convex lens or a concave lens, that is, the surface of the refractive lens 4 is a curved surface, so the refractive lens 4 and the waveguide unit 1 cannot be directly bonded. For this reason, in the present application, considering that the refractive lens 4 has a certain thickness, the waveguide unit 1 and the refractive coupling element 3 can be embedded in the refractive lens 4 together to achieve a gapless integrated setting between the refractive lens 4 and the waveguide unit 1. On the basis of simultaneously achieving the diopter adjustment of the light incident on the human eye, the problem of the structure of the waveguide device being too large is avoided, which is conducive to the development of miniaturization of AR display devices. In addition, because there is no gap between the refractive lens 4 and the waveguide unit 1, there is no air medium between the refractive lens 4 and the waveguide unit 1, so the projection light can reduce a dielectric layer during the propagation of the waveguide device, thereby reducing the light energy loss of the projection light transmitted between different dielectric layers.

[0043] The refractive lens 4 in this embodiment can be made of a plastic lens. When forming the refractive lens 4, part of the liquid lens material can be poured into the mold first, then the waveguide unit can be placed in the mold, and finally the remaining liquid lens material can be poured into the mold. After the liquid lens material solidifies, the inlay connection between the waveguide unit 1 and the refractive lens 4 can be achieved.

[0044] Of course, it should be noted that the refractive coupling element 3 in this embodiment adjusts the refractive power of the coupled projection light and thus realizes the adjustment of the projection position of the projection light. It is not only used for users with abnormal vision. For users with normal vision, the imaging position of the projection light can also be set according to the technical solution in this embodiment to achieve the effect of three-dimensional display of virtual images.

[0045] In addition, by Figures 1 to 4 It can be seen that the layer of the waveguide unit 1 that outputs the projection light also has a refractive lens 4 with uneven thickness, which will obviously also adjust the refractive power of the projection light. Therefore, when actually setting the imaging position of the projection light coupled out by the refractive coupling element 3, the joint effect of the refractive coupling element 3 and the refractive lens 4 on the projection light should be considered.

[0046] The refractive outcoupling element 3 may be a surface grating, such as a HOE grating, and the refractive outcoupling element 3 may be a reflection outcoupling or a transmission outcoupling, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, when the refractive outcoupling element 3 is arranged on the side of the waveguide unit 1 away from the outgoing projection light, the refractive outcoupling element 3 is a HOE reflection grating, which reflects and couples the projection light; when the refractive outcoupling element 3 is arranged on the side of the waveguide unit 1 that emits the projection light, the refractive outcoupling element 3 is a HOE transmission grating.

[0047] In addition, the above-mentioned refractive outcoupling elements 3 are all components integrating refractive and outcoupling functions. In actual application, the refractive outcoupling element 3 may also include two parts, a refractive unit and an outcoupling unit. Figure 4 As shown, the refractive outcoupling element 3 includes an outcoupling grating 31 and a HOE lens 32 with optical power. The HOE lens can be a HOE light transmitting mirror or a HOE reflecting mirror.

[0048] As mentioned above, the projection light in the waveguide unit 1 is coupled in through the coupling grating 2, and the coupling grating 2 can also be a reflection coupling grating or a transmission coupling grating, which can be specifically determined according to the positions of the coupling grating 2 on the two surfaces of the waveguide unit 1. In addition, in order to further reduce the amount of light loss when the projection light is incident into the waveguide unit 1, one end of the waveguide unit 1 where the coupling grating 2 is arranged can be exposed outside the dioptric lens 4, that is, the end of the waveguide unit 1 where the coupling grating 2 is arranged is not embedded in the dioptric lens 4.

[0049] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, because the waveguide unit 1 is provided with an end portion coupled into the grating 2, the portion where the incident projection light is incident is not embedded in the interior of the refractive lens, and the projection light can be directly incident from the projection optical machine 5 into the waveguide unit 1 without being transmitted through a layer of refractive lens 4 and then incident into the waveguide unit 1, thereby reducing the light energy loss of the projection light when it is transmitted through the refractive lens 4.

[0050] The present application also provides an embodiment of an AR display device, which includes a waveguide device and a projection optical machine as described in any one of the above items.

[0051] The projection optical machine is used to project projection light onto the waveguide device;

[0052] The waveguide device is used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit through the coupling light, and couple out the projection light through the refractive coupling element.

[0053] In the AR display device of the present application, a waveguide device is used that can adjust the outcoupling diopter of the projection light and the diopter of the ambient light, thereby realizing the adjustment of the imaging position of the projection light and the ambient light, and the refractive lens and the waveguide unit in the waveguide device are inlaid to avoid the waveguide device being too large, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the AR display device.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply that there is any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the term "include", "comprise" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, article or equipment that includes a series of elements are inherent to the elements. In the absence of more restrictions, the elements limited by the sentence "comprise one..." do not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or equipment that includes the elements. In addition, the above-mentioned technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is consistent with the corresponding technical solution in the prior art in principle, and the part is not described in detail, so as not to repeat too much.

[0055] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

Claims

1. A waveguide device, characterized in that: include: A waveguide unit; a coupling grating disposed in contact with the end of the waveguide unit and used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit; A refractive outcoupling element arranged in close contact with the waveguide unit and used for coupling out the projection light in the waveguide unit; and a refractive lens; The waveguide unit and the refractive outcoupling element are embedded in the refractive lens and are perpendicular to the optical axis of the refractive lens. The refractive lens is a light-transmitting lens with refractive power. The deflection directions of the projection light in the waveguide unit at different positions on the refractive outcoupling element are different, and the refractive outcoupling element is used to convert the projection light in the waveguide unit into convergent light or diffused light together with the side of the refractive lens close to the human eye, so that the projection light is imaged at a predetermined position.

2. The waveguide device according to claim 1, characterized in that The refractive optical coupling element is a HOE reflection grating or a HOE transmission grating.

3. The waveguide device according to claim 1, characterized in that The refractive outcoupling element comprises an outcoupling grating and a HOE lens with optical power.

4. The waveguide device according to claim 1, characterized in that The refractive lens is a plastic light-transmitting lens.

5. The waveguide device according to claim 4, characterized in that The refractive lens is a convex lens or a concave lens.

6. The waveguide device according to claim 1, characterized in that The coupling-in grating is a transmission grating, and the coupling-in grating is not embedded in the refractive lens.

7. The waveguide device according to claim 1, characterized in that The coupling-in grating is a reflection grating, and the end of the waveguide unit where the coupling-in grating is arranged is not embedded in the refractive lens.

8. An AR display device, characterized in that: A waveguide device comprising any one of claims 1 to 7, and a projection optical machine; The projection optical machine is used to project projection light onto the waveguide device; The waveguide device is used to couple the projection light into the waveguide unit by coupling light in, and couple out the projection light by the refractive outcoupling element.

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