AR Eyepiece Biometric Capture via Nested Optical Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current augmented reality eyepieces lack efficient integration of interactive controls and adaptive display technologies, limiting user interaction with virtual content and environmental awareness.
Innovation Solution
The eyepiece incorporates a nano-projector with an LCoS display, a freeform waveguide lens, and a wedge-shaped correction lens, along with an integrated processor and camera, enabling interactive control elements like hand gestures and voice commands, and adaptive display adjustments based on environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a nano-projector with LCoS display is integrated into the eyepiece, then display clarity and virtual content quality are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the nano-projector, LCoS display, waveguide lens, and correction lens into a nested configuration where smaller optical components are positioned within or alongside larger structural elements of the eyepiece. This nesting approach allows high-precision display components to be incorporated without proportionally increasing overall device volume or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple optical functions into integrated components: the waveguide lens and correction lens are optically coupled to work together as a unified optical system, and the nano-projector is integrated directly with the display optics. This merging reduces the number of separate assemblies and simplifies the overall device architecture while maintaining high display clarity.
2Area of stationary object
If a freeform waveguide lens and correction lens are integrated, then field of view and environmental awareness are improved, but optical path complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs freeform waveguide lens and correction lens with curved, non-spherical surfaces that are optimized to expand the field of view. These curved optical surfaces redirect light paths efficiently, providing wide environmental awareness while the freeform geometry inherently manages optical complexity through mathematically defined surface profiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The correction lens acts as an intermediary optical element between the waveguide lens and the user's eye. It mediates the optical path by correcting aberrations and optimizing the combined output from the waveguide, thereby managing optical complexity through a specialized intermediate component rather than requiring complex adjustments throughout the entire optical system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If interactive control elements like hand gestures and voice commands are integrated, then user interaction capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple interaction modalities (hand gesture recognition, voice command processing, and eye tracking) into a unified control system. This multi-functional approach allows the device to handle various user interactions through a single integrated processing architecture, improving versatility without proportionally increasing complexity compared to having separate systems for each interaction type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates environmental awareness capabilities that automatically detect and adapt to user needs without requiring explicit commands. The integrated camera and sensors continuously monitor the environment and user behavior, enabling the system to self-adjust display parameters and interaction modes based on detected conditions, thereby reducing the complexity of manual control systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If adaptive display adjustments based on environmental conditions are implemented, then display performance is improved, but processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adaptive display adjustments through a feedback mechanism where environmental sensors continuously monitor lighting conditions and the system automatically adjusts display parameters such as brightness and contrast. This closed-loop feedback system optimizes display performance in real-time while using efficient algorithms that minimize processing requirements by building upon previously determined settings rather than recalculating from scratch.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for seamless interaction with virtual content while maintaining awareness of the surrounding environment, with enhanced display clarity and user control through gestures and voice commands, and adaptive brightness and contrast adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
a (two surface) freeform wave guide lens enabling TIR bounces
Implementation Method 2
an LCoS display
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for biometric data capture are provided. The apparatus includes in interactive head-mounted eyepiece worn by a user that includes an optical assembly through which a user views a surrounding environment and displayed content. The optical assembly comprises a corrective element that corrects the user's view of the surrounding environment and an integrated processor for handling content to the user. An integrated optical sensor captures biometric data when the eyepiece is positioned so that a nearby individual is proximate to the eyepiece. Biometric data is captured using the eyepiece and is transmitted to a remote processing facility for interpretation. The remote processing facility interprets the captured biometric data and generates display content based on the interpretation. This display content is delivered to the eyepiece and displayed to the user.