Miniaturized near-eye display device using optical fiber

Abstract

A miniaturized near-eye display device using an optical fiber is provided. A near-eye display device according to an embodiment of the present invention transmits a plurality of region images divided from a display image, to a waveguide, after rearranging the positions thereof, and emits the images after rearranging same into the display image through the waveguide. Accordingly, the horizontal width of side leg portions of the glasses-type near-eye display device is reduced to improve the esthetics of the design, and a separation distance between the display and the waveguide and the spatial shape thereof may be freely designed.

Description

Miniaturized near-eye display device using optical fiber

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable imaging device, and more specifically, to a waveguide-based near-eye display device that allows a person to wear it and experience augmented / virtual reality content images.

[0002] A waveguide-based near-eye display device collides the image light of the display through a collimating lens, directs it into a waveguide via an incoupler, transmits it, and emits it through an outcoupler located on the user's eye.

[0003] In this case, since the display, collimating lens, and waveguide must be aligned and fixed to one another, there is a limit to size reduction in the left-right direction due to the size of the collimating lens being determined by the horizontal size of the display.

[0004] In addition, since there must be no physical obstruction of light between the display, the collimating lens, and the waveguide, this acts as a constraint in implementing the spatial design of the glasses-type near-eye display device.

[0005] The present invention has been devised to solve the aforementioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide a near-eye display device that transmits a display image by dividing it into regions and rearranging it between a display and a waveguide using an optical fiber, as a method to secure design freedom and aesthetic design of a glasses-type near-eye display device.

[0006] A near-eye display device according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above objective comprises: a display for displaying an image; an imaging lens for forming the display image on an imaging plane; an image repositioning unit for repositioning positions while transmitting a plurality of area images partitioned from the display image formed on the imaging plane; a collimating lens array having a plurality of collimating lenses arranged to transmit each of the repositioned area images to a waveguide; and a waveguide that incidents the area images transmitted through the collimating lens array, repositions them into a display image in front of the user's pupil, and emits them.

[0007] The image rearrangement unit can rearrange area images so that the resolution of the display image is redistributed along one axis.

[0008] The image rearrangement unit can rearrange region images so that the horizontal width required for incoupling to the waveguide is reduced and the vertical height is increased.

[0009] The image repositioning unit may be a plurality of optical fiber bundles that reposition positions while transmitting each of the area images.

[0010] The optical fiber bundles may have input terminals arranged in a grid pattern on the imaging plane side of the imaging lens, and output terminals arranged in a line on the incident plane side of the collimating lens array.

[0011] The collimation lens array may include collimation lenses arranged in a row facing each of the optical fiber bundles.

[0012] The horizontal length of the collimating lens array may be shorter than the diameter of the collimating lens that collimates the display image into one.

[0013] The length of the optical fiber bundles can be adjusted according to the spacing between the display and the waveguide and the spatial shape.

[0014] Each of the optical fibers constituting the optical fiber bundle can be matched 1:1 with each of the pixels constituting the area image.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a near-eye display method is provided, comprising: a step of displaying a display image; a step of forming the displayed display image on an imaging plane; a step of rearranging positions while transmitting a plurality of area images partitioned from the display image formed on the imaging plane; a step of transmitting each of the rearranged area images through a waveguide; and a step of causing the transmitted area images to be incident and rearranging them into a display image in front of the user's pupil and emitting them.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, an optical system for a near-eye display device is provided, comprising: an imaging lens that forms a display image on an imaging plane; an image repositioning unit that repositions positions while transmitting a plurality of region images partitioned from the display image formed on the imaging plane; and a collimation lens array in which a plurality of collimation lenses are arranged to transmit each of the repositioned region images to a waveguide.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a light processing method for a near-eye display device is provided, characterized by comprising: a step of forming a display image on an imaging plane; a step of rearranging positions while transmitting a plurality of region images partitioned from the display image formed on the imaging plane; and a step of transmitting each of the rearranged region images to a waveguide.

[0018] As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, by using an optical fiber to divide and rearrange the display image between the display and the waveguide into regions and transmit it, the horizontal width of the side leg portion of the glasses-type near-eye display device can be reduced, thereby improving the aesthetic appeal of the design.

[0019] In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, the length of the optical fiber is adjusted according to the shape and specifications of the near-eye display device, thereby allowing the separation distance and spatial shape between the display and the waveguide to be freely designed.

[0020] FIG. 1 is a near-eye display device according to one embodiment of the present invention,

[0021] FIGS. 2 and 3 are near-eye display devices utilizing optical fiber bundles,

[0022] FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams of the area image input / output process in an optical fiber bundle.

[0023] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the image input / output process in a waveguide.

[0024] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] A near-eye display device based on eyeglass-type waveguides consists of a collimating lens that collimates light emitted from a display located on the side of the wearer, an incoupler element that directs the collimated light into the waveguide, and an outcoupler positioned in front of the user's pupil that emits the transmitted light. The in / outcouplers may be composed of diffractive optical elements, holographic optical elements, reflective surfaces, partial reflective surfaces, etc., and facilitate the application of emission pupil expansion technology, which allows pixel light to be repeatedly emitted from different locations by adjusting the light emission efficiency of the outcoupler.

[0026] Typically, pixel light emitted from each pixel of a display is converted into collimated light that propagates in different directions through a collimating lens, and then directed into a waveguide through an incoupler. In this process, the display, collimating lens, incoupler, and waveguide must be aligned with great precision, and the components must be configured without any physical obstructions to allow light to propagate. This serves as the primary factor determining the size and protrusion of the lateral lenses and temples when implementing eyeglass-type near-eye display devices.

[0027] An embodiment of the present invention presents a miniaturized near-eye display device utilizing optical fibers. By partitioning and rearranging the display image to rearrange the resolution of the display, this technology simplifies the glasses-type near-eye display device in a single axial direction and enhances design freedom.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a near-eye display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the near-eye display device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a microdisplay (110), an imaging lens (120), an image repositioning unit (130), a collimating lens array (140), and a waveguide (150).

[0029] The micro display (110) displays content images to be provided to the user, and the imaging lens (120) reduces the display image displayed on the micro display (110) and forms an image on the imaging plane (P1).

[0030] The image repositioning unit (130) divides the display image formed on the image plane (P1) into four area images (A, B, C, D) and repositions them while transmitting them to the incident plane (P2), which is the incident plane of the collimating lens array (140).

[0031] The partitioned area images (A, B, C, D) are images in which the display image is partitioned into 2(H)x2(V). The image rearrangement unit (130) rearranges the area images (A, B, C, D) partitioned into 2(H)x2(V) on the image plane (P1) into 1(H)x4(V) on the incident plane (P2).

[0032] The image rearrangement unit (130) can be implemented with four optical fiber bundles, as shown in FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3. FIGS. 2 is a top view (horizontal direction) of the near-eye display device of FIGS. 1 utilizing optical fiber bundles, and FIGS. 3 is a side view (vertical direction). According to the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3,

[0033] 1) The area image (A) located at the upper left of the imaging plane (P1) is repositioned at the top of the incident plane (P2) by the optical fiber bundle (130-A), and

[0034] 2) The area image (B) located at the upper right of the imaging plane (P1) is repositioned to the second upper part of the incident plane (P2) by the optical fiber bundle (130-B), and

[0035] 3) The area image (C) located in the lower left of the imaging plane (P1) is repositioned to the upper third of the incident plane (P2) by the optical fiber bundle (130-C), and

[0036] 4) The area image (D) located at the lower right side of the image plane (P1) is repositioned to the lowest part of the incident plane (P2) by the optical fiber bundle (130-D).

[0037] To this end, the input terminals of the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) are arranged in a grid shape (2x2) on the imaging plane (P1) side, and the output terminals of the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) are arranged in a line (1x4) on the incident plane (P2) side. If the display image is divided into NxN area images, the input terminals of the optical fiber bundles are arranged in NxN on the imaging plane (P1), and the output terminals are arranged in 1xN on the incident plane (P2). 2 It must be arranged as follows.

[0038] The collimation lens array (140) consists of four collimation lenses arranged in a line facing each of the four optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D). The collimation lens array (140) emits each of the region images (A, B, C, D) repositioned by the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) as a Gaussian beam and transmits them to the waveguide (150).

[0039] The arrangement of the collimating lenses constituting the collimating lens array (140) is 1(H)x4(V), which is the same as the arrangement of the output terminals of the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) at the incident plane (P2). Since the collimating lenses constituting the collimating lens array (140) only need to receive one image of a partitioned area from the entire display image rather than the entire display image, their diameter is shorter than that of the collimating lens of a conventional near-eye display device that consists of one lens. Accordingly, the horizontal length (diameter) occupied by the conventional collimating lens is reduced by half, thereby reducing the horizontal width of the side temple portion of the near-eye display device and improving the aesthetic appeal of the design. On the other hand, the collimating lens array (140) according to the embodiment of the present invention increases the vertical length (diameter) occupied by the conventional collimating lens by twofold, thereby increasing the vertical length of the side temple portion of the near-eye display device; however, unlike the horizontal width, which is a design-sensitive element, the increase in vertical length does not reduce the aesthetic appeal, so this is not a problem.

[0040] In addition, since there are no restrictions on the length and shape of the space (c) occupied by the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D), the length of the optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) can be adjusted according to the shape / specifications of the near-eye display device, thereby allowing the separation distance and spatial shape between the micro-display (110) and the waveguide (150) to be freely adjusted. That is, even if the distance between the micro-display (110) and the waveguide (150) is very far, or if the space between them is designed to be curved rather than straight, it does not pose any problem.

[0041] In particular, when configuring the temple portion of the near-vision display device, it has the advantage of being able to transmit images by arranging only optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) without including a micro display (110) as in the conventional method, and thus can be implemented with a thin temple thickness of within a few mm, like ordinary glasses.

[0042] Furthermore, by changing the number of optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D), the arrangement of input terminals on the imaging plane (P1) side, and the arrangement of output terminals on the incident plane (P2) side, various rearrangements of the image regions are possible.

[0043] The process of receiving and emitting area images in optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D) will be explained in detail below with reference to FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5. FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5 are schematic diagrams showing the process of receiving and emitting area images in optical fiber bundle (130-A) among optical fiber bundles (130-A, B, C, D).

[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates the process of receiving light. As illustrated, the area image (A) among the display images of the micro-display (110) is formed into a real image with a magnification that matches the diameter of the optical fiber bundle (130-A) through the imaging lens (120) and is incident on the optical fiber bundle (130-A). At this time, in order to prevent a decrease in resolution, each optical fiber constituting the optical fiber bundle (130-A) is configured to receive each pixel light constituting the area image light one by one, that is, the pixels of the area image and the optical fibers of the optical fiber bundle are configured to be matched 1:1.

[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates the process of emitting light. As illustrated, pixel light of a region image transmitted through an optical fiber bundle (130-A) is emitted in the form of a Gaussian beam at the output end, converted into parallel light with different propagation angles through an opposing collimating lens (140-A), collimated and crossed at the incoupler position of a waveguide (150), and can couple the region image light into the waveguide.

[0046] Below, the process of region images being incident on and emitted from the waveguide (150) will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a drawing of the waveguide (150) of a near-eye display viewed from above. Accordingly, FIG. 6 shows only region images A and B among the region images.

[0047] As described, the incouplers (151-A, B) of the waveguide (150) transmit area images transmitted through the collimation lens array (140) into the interior of the waveguide (150), and the outcouplers (152) transmit the area images and reposition them into a display image to be emitted in front of the user's pupil.

[0048] From the perspective of the waveguide (150), the coupled image light is received in a vertically elongated array, so the incoupler (151) is formed to be narrow in the horizontal direction and long in the vertical direction compared to a conventional waveguide. Since the horizontal size of the incoupler (151) is reduced, the problem of the incoupled image light being re-emitted can be prevented even if the thickness of the waveguide (150) is made thin.

[0049] A separate incoupler (151-A,B) was placed for each of the repositioned horizontal optical fiber bundles (130-A,B). In order to avoid the need for multiple transmission couplers (152) and outcouplers (153), the total reflection angles deflected from the incouplers (151-A,B) and propagating into the medium of the waveguide (150) were adjusted differently to cover the respective left / right viewing angles during emission.

[0050] Each optical fiber bundle (130-A, B) transmits area images (A, B) corresponding to the upper left field of view and the upper right field of view, respectively, and receives light at the same angle through each incoupler (151-A, B). At this time, the incoupler (151-A, B) must deflect the received light so that the central light beam can be transmitted at different angles within the medium. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the area image-B may have a shape in which the deflection angle is greater than that of the vertically received area image-A. The incoupled area image light is expanded in the x direction and propagated in the -y direction while passing through the transmission coupler (152). The outcoupler (153) serves to expand the transmitted area image light in the y direction and simultaneously emit it to the outside of the waveguide (150). Finally, the area image light emitted through the outcoupler (153) consists of a left field that enters through the incoupler (151-A) and a right field that enters through the incoupler (151-B), and both can be emitted through a single outcoupler (153) to form the final Field of View.

[0051] So far, a preferred embodiment of a miniaturized near-eye display device using optical fibers has been described in detail.

[0052] In the above embodiment, by using optical fiber bundles to divide and redistribute the display image by region between the display and the waveguide, the horizontal width of the side legs of the glasses-type near-eye display device is reduced, thereby improving the design aesthetics. Additionally, by making it possible to adjust the length of the optical fiber according to the shape and specifications of the near-eye display device, the separation distance and spatial shape between the display and the waveguide can be freely designed.

[0053] A near-eye display device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in various applications such as a head-mounted display and a head-up display.

[0054] Meanwhile, it is also possible to implement an optical system for a near-eye display device composed of an imaging lens (120), an image repositioning unit (130), and a collimating lens array (130), and it goes without saying that the technical concept of the present invention can be applied even when implementing this.

[0055] Furthermore, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. Various modifications are possible by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

Claims

1. A display that displays images; An imaging lens that forms a display image on an imaging plane; An image rearrangement unit that rearranges positions while transmitting multiple area images partitioned from a display image formed on an image plane; A collimation lens array comprising a plurality of collimation lenses arranged to transmit each of the repositioned region images to a waveguide; A near-eye display device characterized by including a waveguide that incidents area images transmitted through a collimating lens array and repositions and emits them as a display image in front of the user's pupil.

2. In Claim 1, The video relocation unit, A near-eye display device characterized by rearranging area images so that the resolution of the display image is redistributed along one axis.

3. In Claim 2, The video relocation unit, A near-eye display device characterized by rearranging region images such that the horizontal width required for incoupling to a waveguide is reduced and the vertical height is increased.

4. In Claim 3, The video relocation unit, A near-eye display device characterized by multiple optical fiber bundles that transmit each of the area images and reposition the positions respectively.

5. In Claim 4, Optical fiber bundles are, On the imaging plane side of the imaging lens, input terminals are arranged in a grid shape, and A near-eye display device characterized by output terminals arranged in a line on the incident plane side of a collimating lens array.

6. In Claim 5, A collimating lens array is, A near-eye display device characterized by including collimation lenses arranged in a row opposite each of the optical fiber bundles.

7. In Claim 6, The horizontal length of the collimating lens array is, A near-eye display device characterized by having a diameter shorter than that of a collimating lens that collimates a single display image.

8. In Claim 4, The length of the optical fiber bundles is, A near-eye display device characterized by being adjustable according to the spacing distance and spatial shape between the display and the waveguide.

9. In Claim 4, Each of the optical fibers constituting the optical fiber bundle is, A near-eye display device characterized by being matched 1:1 to each pixel constituting a region image.

10. Step of displaying a display image; A step of forming an image of the displayed image onto a forming surface; A step of rearranging positions while transmitting a plurality of area images partitioned from a display image formed on a forming plane; A step of transmitting each of the relocated region images to a waveguide; A near-eye display method characterized by including the step of transmitting area images and repositioning and emitting them as display images in front of the user's pupil.

11. An imaging lens that forms a display image on an imaging plane; An image rearrangement unit that rearranges positions while transmitting multiple area images partitioned from a display image formed on an image plane; An optical system for a near-eye display device characterized by including a collimation lens array comprising a plurality of collimation lenses arranged to transmit each of the repositioned area images to a waveguide.

12. A step of forming a display image on an imaging surface; A step of rearranging positions while transmitting a plurality of area images partitioned from a display image formed on a forming plane; A light processing method for a near-eye display device characterized by including the step of transmitting each of the relocated region images to a waveguide.

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