Optical display system

Abstract

An optical display system includes an augmented reality element and a lens element. The augmented reality element has an output surface to direct a combined image from the augmented reality element toward a viewer's eye. The lens element is disposed between the output surface and the viewer's eye and includes a focusing lens unit and a variable focus lens unit. The focusing lens unit is disposed proximate to the output surface to move a focal point of a combined light beam from the combined image. The variable focus lens unit is disposed distal from the output surface to continuously vary the focal point of the combined light beam formed via the focusing lens unit. As such, the optical display system has a wider range of optical power adjustability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an optical display system, and more particularly to an optical display system with a wide range of adjustable optical power. Background Technology

[0002] Near-eye displays, suitable for systems such as Augmented Reality (AR), can be used to create combined images that integrate virtual and real images within the viewer's field of view (FOV). To provide a better FOV experience for the viewer, the distance between the near-eye display and the user's eyes is typically kept within a limited range (e.g., 15mm to 20mm). However, when the viewer wears glasses, the distance between the viewer's eyes and the near-eye display cannot be maintained within the aforementioned limits, thus affecting the presentation of the FOV. Furthermore, providing additional glasses specifically for the viewer to wear would create inconvenience in use. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an optical display system with a wide range of adjustable optical power.

[0004] The optical display system of the present invention includes an augmented reality element and a lens element.

[0005] The augmented reality element includes an output surface for directing the combined image from the augmented reality element to the viewer's eyes.

[0006] The lens element is disposed between the output surface and the viewer's eye, including a focusing lens unit disposed adjacent to the output surface and a variable focus lens unit disposed away from the output surface. The focusing lens unit is used to move the focal point of the combined beam from the combined image, and the variable focus lens unit is used to continuously change the focal point of the combined beam formed by focusing through the focusing lens unit.

[0007] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the focusing lens unit is a fixed-focus lens.

[0008] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the focusing lens unit is a polarization-independent lens.

[0009] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the variable focus lens unit is an electronically controlled adjustable focus liquid crystal lens.

[0010] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the variable focus lens unit is a polarization-independent lens.

[0011] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the variable focus lens unit is a polarization-dependent lens, and the lens element further includes a polarizer disposed upstream of the variable focus lens unit.

[0012] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit are polarization-independent liquid crystal lenses.

[0013] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit are polarization-dependent liquid crystal lenses, and the lens element further includes a polarizer disposed upstream of the focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit.

[0014] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the augmented reality element includes a waveguide unit having the output surface, for combining a first beam used to form a virtual image and a second beam from the real world and outputting them externally via the output surface to form the combined image.

[0015] Preferably, in the optical display system of the present invention, the waveguide unit has at least one waveguide, the at least one waveguide having an input coupling region and an output coupling region, the input coupling region being used to deflect a first light beam from an optical supply element so that it propagates in the at least one waveguide, and when the first light beam propagates in the at least one waveguide and strikes the output coupling region, the output coupling region is able to guide the first light beam through the output surface to the viewer's eye.

[0016] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that by combining the focusing lens unit with the variable focus lens unit, the lens element can have a variety of different optical powers, thereby giving the optical display system a wider range of adjustable optical powers. Therefore, it is suitable for viewers who need to wear glasses or corrective glasses, so that they can directly view the combined image from the augmented reality element without wearing additional glasses. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the optical display system;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a third embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram illustrating the fourth embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Before the present invention is described in detail, it should be noted that similar elements are represented by the same numbers in the following description. The relevant technical content, features, and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings of the present invention are only for illustrating the structural and / or positional relationships between elements and are not related to the actual dimensions of each element. The directional terms used in the description and scope of the application (e.g., front, back, left, right, top, bottom, etc.) are intended only to help describe the content and should not be considered as limitations of the present invention in any way.

[0022] See Figure 1 The first embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention is described, which includes an augmented reality element 100 and a lens element 200.

[0023] The augmented reality element 100 includes an output surface 101 for directing the combined image from the augmented reality element 100 to the viewer's eye 10.

[0024] In this embodiment, the augmented reality element 100 includes a waveguide unit 11 having the output surface 101, which is used to merge a first beam 12 for forming a virtual image V and a second beam 13 from the real world, and output them to the outside via the output surface 101 to form a combined image.

[0025] The waveguide unit 11 may have one or more waveguides. In this embodiment, such as... Figure 1As shown, the waveguide unit 11 has three waveguides 111, 112, and 113, which can guide the first beam 12 into three partial beams 121, 122, and 123. Each waveguide 111, 112, and 113 has an in-coupling region 114, 115, and 116, and an out-coupling region 117, 118, and 119. The in-coupling regions 114, 115, and 116 are used to deflect the first beam 12 generated by the light supply element 300 into partial beams 121, 122, and 123 that travel in the corresponding waveguides 111, 112, and 113, respectively. In this embodiment, the light supply element 300 includes a light source 31, an optical modulator 32 (i.e., a display) for modulating the light beam from the light source 31, and a projection lens 33 for projecting the light beam from the optical modulator 32 onto the waveguide unit 11, and the light beam output from the projection lens 33 can be regarded as the first light beam 12. When the portions of light 121, 122, 123 traveling in the waveguides 111, 112, 113 are incident on the corresponding output coupling regions 117, 118, 119, the output coupling regions 117, 118, 119 guide the corresponding portions of light 121, 122, 123 to the viewer's eye 10 via the output surface 101.

[0026] It should be noted that the augmented reality element 100 may also be other suitable augmented reality devices, and is not limited to the examples mentioned above.

[0027] The lens element 200 is disposed between the output surface 101 and the viewer's eye 10, and includes a focusing lens unit 21A and a variable focus lens unit 22A.

[0028] The focusing lens unit 21A is disposed adjacent to the output surface 101 and is used to move the focus of a combined beam of light from the combined image. The focusing lens unit 21A is a fixed-focus lens, selectable from a solid lens, concave lens, plano-concave lens, convex lens, plano-convex lens, freeform optical lens, or other suitable optical lens. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, the focusing lens unit 21A is a polarization-independent lens.

[0029] The variable focus lens unit 22A is disposed away from the output surface 101 and is used to continuously change the focal point of the combined beam formed by the focusing lens unit 21A. In some embodiments, the variable focus lens unit 22A is an electrically controllable focusable liquid crystal lens. In this embodiment, the variable focus lens unit 22A is a polarization-independent lens and has a first lens 221 and a second lens 222. The first lens 221 has a plurality of first liquid crystal molecules 2210 therein, and the second lens 222 has a plurality of second liquid crystal molecules 2220 therein.

[0030] When the combined beam is introduced into the lens element 200 along the Z direction (see...) Figure 1 The long axis of the first liquid crystal molecule 2210 is arranged along an XZ plane defined by the Z and X directions, and the long axis of the second liquid crystal molecule 2220 is arranged along a YZ plane defined by the Z and Y directions. The arrangement direction of the first liquid crystal molecule 2210 is substantially perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the second liquid crystal molecule 2220.

[0031] In this embodiment, the variable focus lens unit 22A has a limited adjustable range of optical power (e.g., between -2D and +2D). Therefore, when the lens element 200 comprises only the variable focus lens unit 22A, the optical display system is suitable for, for example, individuals requiring vision correction using lenses with a diopter between -2D and +2D. When the focusing lens unit 21A (e.g., having an optical power of -6D) is combined with the variable focus lens unit 22A (e.g., having an adjustable optical power range of -2D to +2D), the optical display system is suitable for, for example, individuals requiring vision correction using lenses with a diopter between -8D and -4D.

[0032] See Figure 2 The following describes a second embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that the variable focus lens unit 22B in the second embodiment is a polarization-dependent lens having a plurality of first liquid crystal molecules 2210. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the lens element 200 further includes a polarizer 23 disposed upstream of the variable focus lens unit 22B, which allows the combined light beam focused by the focusing lens unit 21A to be polarized and converted before passing through the variable focus lens unit 22B.

[0033] In some embodiments, the variable focus lens unit 22B may be selected from an electronically controlled adjustable focus liquid crystal lens.

[0034] In this embodiment, the polarizer 23 is disposed between the focusing lens unit 21A and the variable focus lens unit 22B (see...). Figure 2 The following example will be used for illustration. However, in other embodiments, the polarizer 23 may also be disposed between the output surface 101 and the focusing lens unit 21A as needed.

[0035] See Figure 3 The third embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention is described below. The third embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that the focusing lens unit 21B of the third embodiment is a polarization-independent liquid crystal lens for providing a fixed focus, and has two liquid crystal lenses 211 and 212. The liquid crystal molecules 2110 in one liquid crystal lens 211 are arranged along the X direction, and the liquid crystal molecules 2120 in the other liquid crystal lens 212 are arranged along the Y direction.

[0036] See Figure 4 The fourth embodiment of the optical display system of the present invention is described below. The fourth embodiment is similar to the second embodiment, except that the focusing lens unit 21C of the fourth embodiment is a polarization-dependent lens that provides a fixed focal point, and the polarizer 23 is disposed upstream of the focusing lens unit 21C and the variable focal length lens unit 22B.

[0037] By using an optical display system equipped with the lens element 200, the viewer can directly view the combined image from the augmented reality element 100 without wearing additional glasses or other glasses for vision correction.

[0038] In summary, the lens element 100 of the optical display system of the present invention utilizes the focusing lens units 21A, 21B, and 21C in combination with the variable focus lens units 22A and 22B to obtain a variety of different optical powers, thus having a wide range of adjustable optical powers to move the focus of the combined beam from the combined image. Therefore, it is suitable for more viewers with different vision, who can directly view the combined image generated by the augmented reality element 200 without wearing additional glasses, and thus the purpose of the present invention is indeed achieved.

[0039] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make further improvements and changes on this basis without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope defined in the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An optical display system, characterized in that, Include: An augmented reality element, including an output surface for directing a combined image from the augmented reality element to a viewer's eye; and A lens element, disposed between the output surface and the viewer's eye, includes a focusing lens unit disposed adjacent to the output surface and a variable focus lens unit disposed away from the output surface. The focusing lens unit is used to move the focal point of the combined beam from the combined image, and the variable focus lens unit is used to continuously change the focal point of the combined beam formed by focusing through the focusing lens unit.

2. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing lens unit is a fixed-focus lens.

3. The optical display system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The focusing lens unit is a polarization-independent lens.

4. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The variable focus lens unit is an electronically controlled adjustable focus liquid crystal lens.

5. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The variable focus lens unit is a polarization-independent lens.

6. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The variable focus lens unit is a polarization-dependent lens, and the lens element further includes a polarizer disposed upstream of the variable focus lens unit.

7. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit are polarization-independent liquid crystal lenses.

8. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit are polarization-dependent liquid crystal lenses, and the lens element further includes a polarizer disposed upstream of the focusing lens unit and the variable focus lens unit.

9. The optical display system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The augmented reality element includes a waveguide unit having the output surface, which is used to combine a first beam of light used to form a virtual image and a second beam of light from the real world and output them externally via the output surface to form the combined image.

10. The optical display system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The waveguide unit has at least one waveguide, the at least one waveguide having an input coupling region and an output coupling region, the input coupling region being used to deflect a first beam from an optical supply element so that it propagates in the at least one waveguide, and when the first beam propagates in the at least one waveguide and strikes the output coupling region, the output coupling region can guide the first beam through the output surface to the viewer's eye.

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