An AR device and augmented reality display apparatus

Abstract

The application provides an AR device and an augmented reality display device, relates to the technical field of augmented reality, and comprises a light machine, a turning structure and a waveguide. The light machine is located on one side of the waveguide. The coupling-in side of the turning structure is arranged in correspondence with the coupling-out side of the light machine, and the coupling-out side of the turning structure is arranged in correspondence with the coupling-in side of the waveguide. The light-emitting direction of the light machine is opposite to the coupling-out direction of the turning structure. The light emitted by the light machine is incident on the waveguide after being turned by the turning structure and then is coupled out of the waveguide to form an image. The turning structure makes the light machine and the waveguide be indirectly coupled. The light machine is still located on the side of the human eye, and the light is coupled in from the opposite side. The turning structure makes the light be incident on the waveguide in a direction opposite to the light-emitting direction of the light machine. The turning structure not only does not produce ghosting due to the bending of the waveguide support, but also does not affect the coupling-out angle of the waveguide, regardless of the change of the included angle between the waveguides on both sides. The coupling-out angle of the waveguide is related to the angle between the optical axis of the light machine and the waveguide.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of augmented reality technology, specifically to an AR device and an augmented reality display device. Background Technology

[0002] Augmented reality (AR) glasses, as a significant development direction in human-computer interaction and wearable devices in recent years, rely heavily on waveguide display systems as one of their core components. Currently, most mainstream single-optical-engine monocular waveguide technologies employ reflective coupling, where image light emitted from the optical engine is coupled into the waveguide via a semi-reflective mirror or other reflective structure, and then guided through the waveguide to achieve image projection. Traditional reflective coupling methods place extremely high demands on the structural stability of the waveguide support. Even slight bending or deformation of the support can cause optical path misalignment, resulting in image ghosting and severely impacting the wearing experience and display quality.

[0003] To achieve a binocular waveguide arrangement that conforms to the shape of the human face, a certain angle is often required between the left and right waveguides. However, under reflective coupling, the optical mechanism needs to form a specific coupling angle with the waveguide. This angle restricts the freedom of the optical mechanism's position, often requiring the optical mechanism to be offset to the outside of the temples, resulting in a bulky temple structure that affects the overall shape of the glasses and wearing comfort.

[0004] While transmission coupling can improve the above problems, it has the problem of awkward placement: when the optomechanic is placed in front of the waveguide for direct transmission coupling, although the reflection path problem can be bypassed, it is placed directly in front of the wearer, which not only affects the aesthetics but also increases the thickness of the device, making it inconvenient for daily wear and use. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an AR device that avoids optical path distortion caused by waveguide deformation, thereby achieving better display imaging stability and consistency.

[0006] In one aspect of this application, an AR device is provided, including an optical engine, a deflection structure, and a waveguide. The optical engine is located on one side of the waveguide. The coupling-in side of the deflection structure is correspondingly disposed to the coupling-out side of the optical engine, and the coupling-out side of the deflection structure is correspondingly disposed to the coupling-in side of the waveguide. The light emission direction of the optical engine is opposite to the coupling-out direction of the deflection structure. The light emitted by the optical engine is deflected by the deflection structure, enters the waveguide, and is then coupled out of the waveguide to form an image.

[0007] Optionally, the deflection structure achieves light deflection through reflection and / or refraction.

[0008] Optionally, the deflection structure includes a prism having at least three optical reflecting surfaces or at least two optical refractive surfaces for deflecting light.

[0009] Optionally, the turning structure includes multiple prisms with preset apex angles, and the light rays are turned by reflection in the multiple prisms in sequence.

[0010] Optionally, the transition structure includes a trapezoidal prism, the larger trapezoidal end of which corresponds to the light-emitting side of the optical engine.

[0011] Optionally, the transition structure includes a microwaveguide, which guides the light emitted from the optomechanical engine within the microwaveguide before outputting it.

[0012] Optionally, the waveguide is arranged at an angle, and the coupling angle of the waveguide is related to the optical axis direction of the optomechanism and the turning angle of the turning structure.

[0013] Optionally, the projections of the optomechanic and the waveguide along the emission direction of the waveguide do not overlap, while the projections of the bend structure and the waveguide along the emission direction of the waveguide overlap or partially overlap.

[0014] Optionally, the projections of the optomechanic, the bend structure, and the waveguide along the outgoing direction of the waveguide overlap or partially overlap.

[0015] In another aspect of this application, an augmented reality display device is provided, including the AR device described above.

[0016] The AR device and augmented reality display device provided in this application embodiment, by setting a turning structure, enable indirect coupling between the optical engine and the waveguide, so that the optical engine remains on the side of the human eye, while light enters from the opposite side. The turning structure causes light to enter the waveguide in the opposite direction to the light exiting the optical engine. This not only prevents ghosting caused by the bending of the waveguide support, but also ensures that the waveguide's exit angle is unaffected by the angle between the waveguide and the optical engine. Thus, regardless of changes in the angle between the two waveguides, the waveguide's exit angle remains unaffected. The waveguide's exit angle is related to the optical axis angle of the optical engine. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is one of the schematic diagrams of the AR device structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the turning structure of the AR device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is the second schematic diagram of the AR device structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is the third schematic diagram of the AR device structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is the fourth schematic diagram of the AR device structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 This is the fifth schematic diagram of the AR device structure provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0024] Icons: 10-Optical mechanism; 11-Bend structure; 12-Waveguide; F-Output direction. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] One advantage of existing reflective coupling is that the optical mechanism can be placed at the temple of the eyeglasses, i.e., closer to the eye, making the overall structure compact, easy to wear, and saving frontal space. However, reflective coupling also has significant drawbacks:

[0029] Imaging stability issues with reflective coupling: The optical path depends on the stability of the structure. If the waveguide bracket bends even slightly, it will cause the reflection path to shift, resulting in image ghosting and seriously affecting the wearing experience.

[0030] The angle between the optical engine and the waveguide limits the waveguide coupling angle design: When AR glasses need to mimic the wearing posture of nearsighted glasses, a certain angle needs to be formed between the two waveguides to fit the contour of the face. At this time, the optical engine needs to be offset outward to a larger angle to achieve binocular coupling. This design not only affects the accuracy of the waveguide coupling angle, but also makes the temples thick and the appearance obtrusive.

[0031] Limited spatial layout: In order to maintain a suitable coupling angle and output optical path, the overall structural design has a low degree of freedom.

[0032] In contrast, transmission coupling theoretically alleviates the aforementioned problems. However, placing the optomechanical system on the front of the waveguide, while achieving stable transmission coupling, occupies space on the front of the device, affecting aesthetics and wearing comfort. Therefore, existing technologies present a clear trade-off between reflection coupling and transmission coupling, and there is currently no good solution that simultaneously balances structural compactness and imaging stability.

[0033] To solve the above problem, please refer to Figure 1 As shown, this application provides an AR device that, through the setting of the turning structure 11, achieves optical path turning and coupling while retaining the original compact position of the optical engine 10, thereby avoiding optical path distortion caused by the deformation of the waveguide 12; reducing dependence on the angle between the optical engine 10 and the waveguide 12; improving the system's structural freedom and wearing comfort; and achieving better display imaging stability and consistency.

[0034] Specifically, this application provides an AR device including an optical engine 10, a bending structure 11, and a waveguide 12. The optical engine 10 is located on one side of the waveguide 12. The coupling-in side of the bending structure 11 is correspondingly arranged with the coupling-out side of the optical engine 10, and the coupling-out side of the bending structure 11 is correspondingly arranged with the coupling-in side of the waveguide 12. The light emission direction of the optical engine 10 is opposite to the coupling-out direction of the bending structure 11. The light emitted by the optical engine 10 is bent by the bending structure 11 and then enters the waveguide 12, and is coupled out from the waveguide 12 to form an image.

[0035] The optical engine 10 of this application is still located at the temple of the glasses on the side close to the human eye, which is the same position as the traditional reflective coupling method, maintaining the compactness and wearability of the overall shape of the glasses; along the direction of light propagation, a set of turning structure 11 for changing the direction of light path is designed between the optical engine 10 and the waveguide 12. The coupling direction of the turning structure 11 is opposite to the light output direction of the optical engine 10. The turning structure 11 can turn the image light output by the optical engine 10 to the outside of the waveguide 12, so that the light is coupled into the waveguide 12 in a way opposite to the light output direction of the optical engine 10; by appropriately setting the angle of the incident surface and the exit surface of the turning structure 11, the light is refracted and turned to the coupling area of ​​the waveguide 12 after being emitted from the optical engine 10.

[0036] The output side of the optomechanical system 10 and the input side of the waveguide 12 are indirectly corresponding. When light enters the waveguide 12, it adopts the opposite direction to the output direction of the optomechanical system 10. Through the ingenious optical path design and the turning structure 11, the position of the optomechanical system 10 and the direction of light coupling are separated, thereby taking into account both structural compactness and imaging stability.

[0037] The configuration of this application can stabilize the coupling path and eliminate structural dependence: after the light is deflected by the turning structure 11, it enters the waveguide 12 in the opposite direction to the light output direction of the optomechanical 10, no longer relying on the precise positioning of the reflective surface of the waveguide 12. Therefore, even if the support of the waveguide 12 is deformed, it will not cause optical path offset, effectively avoiding the ghosting problem. At the same time, the coupling angle of the waveguide 12 is determined by the optical axis direction of the optomechanical 10, no longer limited by the angle between the waveguide 12 and the optomechanical 10, improving structural flexibility.

[0038] Furthermore, it can optimize the structure of the glasses and the wearing experience: the indirect coupling scheme allows the waveguide 12 to be arranged at a certain angle (such as a design that fits the contour of the face) without affecting the direction of light output, thus supporting a more natural and comfortable wearing structure; the optical engine 10 does not need to be externally offset or placed directly in front of the lens, which can effectively avoid visual obstruction and the abruptness of the device.

[0039] For example, the optical engine 10 and the turning structure 11 are physically fixedly connected or encapsulated in the same temple module to improve structural compactness.

[0040] The transition structure 11 and the waveguide 12 are optically bonded together, or optically coupled through an air gap.

[0041] This application provides a novel waveguide 12 display system that, while retaining the advantages of the optical engine 10 layout, overcomes existing limitations in reflection coupling, improves imaging stability, and enhances structural freedom. By setting a turning structure 11, the optical engine 10 and waveguide 12 are indirectly coupled, ensuring that the optical engine 10 remains on the eye side while light enters from the opposite side. The turning structure 11 causes light to enter the waveguide 12 in the opposite direction to the light exiting the optical engine 10. This not only prevents ghosting caused by the bending of the waveguide 12 support, but also ensures that the exit angle of the waveguide 12 is unaffected by the angle between the waveguide 12 and the optical engine 10. Therefore, regardless of changes in the angle between the two waveguides 12, the exit angle of the light from the waveguide 12 remains unaffected. The exit angle of the waveguide 12 is related to the optical axis angle of the optical engine 10.

[0042] Its core principle lies in integrating the advantages of reflection coupling and refraction coupling, avoiding their respective limitations, and forming a stable, efficient, and structurally flexible image coupling mechanism.

[0043] Advantages of reflective coupling: Optical mechanism 10 can be placed at the temple of the eyeglasses, with a compact structure and easy to wear.

[0044] Advantages of refractive coupling: The image light coupling path is more stable, does not depend on the accuracy of the structural reflective surface, and the imaging is more reliable.

[0045] This application constructs an indirect optical path turning path, enabling the optomechanical system 10 to couple light into the waveguide 12 by reflection and / or refraction while retaining its original position (on the same side as the human eye), thereby achieving the structural advantages of reflection coupling and the optical stability of refraction coupling.

[0046] During operation, the optical engine 10 is used for image light output. The optical engine 10, located in the temple area, emits image light rays with the optical axis pointing at a specific angle. The light rays are guided to the coupling surface of the waveguide 12 through the deflection structure 11. The image light rays first enter the deflection structure 11, which is usually one or more prisms or optical deflection elements designed with special incident / exit angles. The light rays are refracted or reflected in the deflection structure 11, changing from the original direction along the human eye to the direction pointing outward of the waveguide 12. The deflected light rays are coupled into the coupling area of ​​the waveguide 12 in a form opposite to the light output direction of the optical engine 10.

[0047] The coupling angle of waveguide 12 is determined by the optical axis of optomechanical 10 and the design of the bend structure 11, and is independent of the included angle of waveguide 12, resulting in high stability.

[0048] Waveguide 12 internal light guiding and imaging output: After the image light is guided within the line, it is emitted from the coupling side of waveguide 12 to form an image.

[0049] Because the overall optical path does not depend on the reflective interface, structural deformation has almost no impact on the optical path, effectively suppressing ghosting; the imaging direction is stable, and the tolerance range for debugging and mass production is larger. This application achieves a balance between structural compactness, optical stability, and system flexibility, providing a novel optical path architecture solution for AR glasses devices.

[0050] Therefore, this application sets up an optical engine 10, a turning structure 11, and a waveguide 12, and constructs a spatial layout and optical path system around these three components. The optical engine 10 has a built-in microdisplay (such as LCOS, DLP, OLED, etc.) and its matching optical projection system. The optical engine 10 is located in the area of ​​the temple of the glasses close to the wearer's eyes to ensure structural balance when worn. The output optical axis of the optical engine 10 points to the turning structure 11, and the angle is adjustable to adapt to the deflection requirements under different design parameters. The shape and size of the optical engine 10 can be customized according to the temple space to ensure concealment and compactness.

[0051] The turning structure 11 is the core of this application. Its main function is to guide the image light output by the optical engine 10 from the same side as the human eye to the outside of the waveguide 12. The turning structure 11 is made of transparent optical material and has two or more refractive interfaces to realize the turning of light. The turning structure 11 can be a one-piece molded design or a combination of multiple prism modules. The turning structure 11 is optically angled according to the incident angle of the optical axis of the optical engine 10 and the position of the coupling surface of the waveguide 12 to ensure high efficiency and low loss in guiding the light to couple in.

[0052] Waveguide 12 can employ common diffraction waveguides, total reflection waveguides, or hybrid light guiding techniques; after being deflected by the bending structure 11, the image light is coupled into waveguide 12 in the opposite direction to the light output direction of the optomechanical 10, and is released from the output surface after being guided multiple times inside;

[0053] The exit surface of waveguide 12 is located directly in front of the wearer, imaging in the direction of the line of sight, providing a clear and stable AR image.

[0054] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the optical engine 10 is disposed in the temple area of ​​the eyeglasses, close to the wearer's eye; the optical engine 10 outputs image light, and the optical axis of the optical engine 10 is vertically upward or has a certain tilt angle, pointing towards the turning structure 11; the optical engine 10 may include a micro-display, a collimating optical system, and a control module, etc.

[0055] The turning structure 11 is disposed between the optomechanical system 10 and the waveguide 12, forming a turning device for the optical path. The projections of the optomechanical system 10 and the waveguide 12 along the emission direction F of the waveguide 12 do not overlap, while the projections of the turning structure 11 and the waveguide 12 along the emission direction F of the waveguide 12 overlap or partially overlap.

[0056] The deflection structure 11 is an optical element (such as a prism) designed with at least three optical reflecting surfaces or at least two optical refractive surfaces, used to deflect image light rays from the upper output direction of the optical engine 10 to the horizontal direction, such as... Figure 2 As shown, after light undergoes multiple refractions and / or reflections in the bending structure 11, it is guided to the coupling region of the waveguide 12, achieving "indirect coupling".

[0057] For example, the shape of the turning structure 11 can be a symmetrical polyhedron with a double-folded path, used to guide light rays through two turns to the waveguide 12.

[0058] Waveguide 12 is located in front of the wearer and overlaps with the lens; waveguide 12 receives the image light output from the bending structure 11 and transmits it inside the waveguide 12, and finally emits the image light evenly from multiple emission points on the lower side of the waveguide 12 for the wearer to observe.

[0059] Its optical path is as follows: after the light rays are emitted from the optical engine 10, they change their propagation direction after passing through the turning structure 11, thereby bypassing the blocking of the turning structure 11 and achieving spatial coupling; since the turning structure 11 adjusts the coupling angle, the coupling angle is related to the turning angle of the optical axis of the optical engine 10 and the turning angle of the turning structure 11, and no longer depends on the angle between the waveguide 12 body, thus supporting multi-angle arrangement; the optical path is stable and is not affected by the deformation of the waveguide 12 support, avoiding ghosting phenomenon.

[0060] in Figure 2 This demonstrates how light propagates and is guided within the optical turning structure 11; Figure 2 The transition structure 11 shown can be divided into three prisms with preset apex angles. The light rays sequentially undergo reflection (total internal reflection or coating reflection) within multiple prisms to complete the light reversal, thereby achieving a 180° reversal of the light path while it propagates laterally.

[0061] In other embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, a waveguide 12 separates the optomechanism 10 and the transition structure 11. That is, the projections of the optomechanism 10, the transition structure 11, and the waveguide 12 along the emission direction F of the waveguide 12 overlap (in other embodiments, the projections of the optomechanism 10, the transition structure 11, and the waveguide 12 along the emission direction F of the waveguide 12 may also partially overlap). After the optomechanism 10 emits light, it passes through the waveguide 12 and then enters the transition structure 11. The subsequent implementation process is the same as... Figure 1 The same applies, and will not be repeated in this embodiment. Compared to Embodiment 1, Figure 3 The design can save more space, the overall structure of the machine is more compact, and it is easier to select and use in some situations.

[0062] exist Figure 4 The embodiments in Figure 3 Based on this, the transition structure 11 is a trapezoidal prism, and the rest of the implementation process is the same as the previous embodiment, which will not be repeated in this embodiment; Figure 4 The embodiments can be adapted to some special structural designs.

[0063] Figure 5 The embodiments in Figure 1 Based on this, its transition structure 11 is a trapezoidal prism, with the large trapezoidal end of the trapezoidal prism corresponding to the light-emitting side of the optical engine 10.

[0064] And in Figure 6In this embodiment, the transition structure 11 employs a microwaveguide, which guides the light emitted from the optomechanical system 10 within its interior before outputting it. The microwaveguide has an input region and an output region. The light emitted from the optomechanical system 10 is coupled into the interior of the microwaveguide through the input region, undergoes multiple reflections within the microwaveguide, and then exits from the output region and is incident on the imaging waveguide 12. The input side of the microwaveguide is aligned with the output side of the optomechanical system 10, and the output side of the microwaveguide is aligned with the input side of the imaging waveguide 12.

[0065] One major advantage of using a microwaveguide as the transition structure 11 is that the transition structure 11 can be made very small and is easy to arrange.

[0066] When the AR device of this application is applied to AR glasses, all components are compactly integrated into the glasses frame. The waveguide 12 is attached to the lens, and the bending structure 11 can be embedded between the temple and the lens. The power supply, circuit, and control chip can be integrated into the temple or the back support of the head, supporting wireless communication and interactive functions. It can adapt to different face shapes and usage needs, and can develop AR glasses products of various forms, such as daily wear type, industrial protection type, medical assistance type, etc.

[0067] Through the coordinated operation of the above-mentioned devices, the AR device of this application achieves concealment of the optical engine 10 position, transmissivity of the coupling path, scalability of the structure, and stability of the imaging path, providing a novel and practical solution for AR glasses devices.

[0068] Specifically, the AR device provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the following scenarios:

[0069] AR terminal with the appearance of eyeglasses: It fits the face more naturally, looks similar to traditional eyeglasses, and has AR image display function;

[0070] Industrial wearable devices require high structural stability to withstand harsh environments; this solution can effectively avoid optical path shift and image ghosting.

[0071] Slim and lightweight consumer-grade AR glasses: achieving a balance between imaging accuracy and structural simplification within a limited space, adaptable to various head and face shapes.

[0072] In summary, the AR device provided in this application, with its proposed indirect coupling architecture, can be widely applied in various AR display systems, possessing good structural adaptability, imaging stability, and commercial feasibility.

[0073] Based on this, embodiments of this application also disclose an augmented reality display device, including any of the AR devices described above. For example, the augmented reality display device may be AR glasses.

[0074] This augmented reality display device has the same structure and beneficial effects as the AR device in the foregoing embodiments. The structure and beneficial effects of the AR device have been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0075] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An AR device, characterized by, include: The device comprises an optical engine, a deflection structure, and a waveguide. The optical engine is located on one side of the waveguide. The coupling-in side of the deflection structure corresponds to the coupling-out side of the optical engine, and the coupling-out side of the deflection structure corresponds to the coupling-in side of the waveguide. The light emission direction of the optical engine is opposite to the coupling-out direction of the deflection structure. The light emitted by the optical engine is deflected by the deflection structure, enters the waveguide, and is then coupled out of the waveguide to form an image.

2. The AR device of claim 1, wherein, The deflection structure achieves light deflection through reflection and / or refraction.

3. The AR device of claim 2, wherein, The deflection structure includes a prism having at least three optical reflecting surfaces or at least two optical refractive surfaces for deflecting light.

4. The AR device of claim 3, wherein, The turning structure includes multiple prisms with preset apex angles, and the light rays are turned by reflection in the multiple prisms in sequence.

5. The AR device of claim 3, wherein, The transition structure includes a trapezoidal prism, with the larger trapezoidal end of the prism corresponding to the light-emitting side of the optical engine.

6. The AR device of claim 2, wherein, The transition structure includes a microwaveguide, which guides the light emitted from the optomechanical engine inside the microwaveguide before outputting it.

7. The AR device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The waveguide is arranged at an angle, and the coupling angle of the waveguide is related to the optical axis direction of the optomechanism and the turning angle of the turning structure.

8. The AR device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The projections of the optomechanic and the waveguide along the waveguide's emission direction do not overlap, while the projections of the bend structure and the waveguide along the waveguide's emission direction overlap or partially overlap.

9. The AR device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The projections of the optomechanic, the bend structure, and the waveguide along the outgoing direction of the waveguide overlap or partially overlap.

10. An augmented reality display device, characterized by Includes the AR device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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