AR Liquid Lens Coupling for Low-Power Waveguide Focusing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality display units with multiple variable focusing power lenses and a waveguide display face challenges in reducing power consumption, size, and weight, particularly due to the high energy requirements of individual lens actuation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality display unit with front and rear variable focusing power compression liquid lenses is designed with a shared adjustment mechanism that links the lenses to actuate them in inverse manners, storing and releasing elastic potential energy to reduce the work required for focusing adjustments, thereby minimizing power consumption and size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate actuation mechanisms are used for front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies, then each lens can be adjusted independently, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate actuation mechanisms into a single integrated mechanism that simultaneously controls both the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies. This single mechanism includes a first actuator for the front lens and a second actuator for the rear lens, both controlled by one control unit, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining independent adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuation mechanism serves multiple functions by controlling both compression liquid lens assemblies through different actuators. The control unit can independently adjust each lens while using a unified structural platform, making the mechanism universal for managing both lenses without requiring completely separate systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If compression liquid lens assemblies are used for focusing, then focusing power can be dynamically adjusted, but elastic potential energy must be managed between the lenses
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit monitors the focusing power of both compression liquid lens assemblies and provides feedback control. When one lens releases elastic potential energy during focusing, the control unit detects this and adjusts the other lens accordingly to compensate, ensuring balanced energy management and stable focusing performance across both lenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the elastic potential energy released by one lens to assist in driving the adjustment mechanism of the other lens. This self-service approach allows the lenses to help each other during focusing operations, reducing the overall energy input required from external sources while maintaining dynamic focusing capability.
3Device complexity
If a single actuation mechanism controls both compression liquid lens assemblies, then device complexity is reduced, but the adjustment mechanism must coordinate inverse focusing power changes
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation mechanism is designed with dynamic coordination capability, allowing the control unit to independently control the focusing power of each lens while maintaining a unified structure. The mechanism can adaptively adjust the inverse focusing power changes of both lenses in real-time, making the coordinated operation intuitive and easy to control despite the reduced number of components.
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 design reduces the power requirement and size of the augmented reality display unit by approximately half compared to individual lens actuation, while maintaining effective focusing capabilities and reducing weight.
Implementation Method 1
each of the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies stores elastic potential energy as its absolute focusing power is increased and releases elastic potential energy as its absolute focusing power is decreased
Implementation Method 2
a transparent waveguide display(240) interposed between the front and rear liquid lens assemblies (220, 230)
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
An augmented reality display unit for use in an augmented reality headset or the like comprising front and rear variable focusing power compression liquid lens assemblies (220, 230) in mutual optical alignment on an optical axis (O), a transparent waveguide display(240) interposed between the front and rear liquid lens assemblies (220, 230) and a selectively operable adjustment mechanism for simultaneously adjusting the focusing powers of the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies (220, 230) in a mutually inverse manner; wherein each of the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies stores elastic potential energy as its absolute focusing power is increased and releases elastic potential energy as its absolute focusing power is decreased; and wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to couple the front and rear compression liquid lens assemblies together such that elastic potential energy released by one of the compression liquid lens assemblies as its absolute focusing power is decreased assists in driving the adjustment mechanism to increase the absolute focusing power of the other compression liquid lens assembly.