AR Waveguide Displays With Circular Polarizers for Light Artifact Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality systems suffer from strong angular light artifacts due to back reflections from waveguide display elements, degrading the user experience.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a circular polarizer and anti-reflective films in the eyepiece waveguide displays to mitigate light artifacts, particularly in systems with large active waveguide areas, by reducing reflections and enhancing the see-through experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a large active waveguide area is used in AR display systems, then the field of view and display area are improved, but strong angular light artifacts and back reflections are generated that degrade user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a circular polarizer to convert the harmful back reflections into beneficial effects. The circular polarizer selectively blocks reflected light while allowing transmitted light to pass through, thereby converting the harmful reflection into a useful filtering mechanism that improves image quality without sacrificing the large waveguide area
Solution Approach 2:
The circular polarizer acts as an intermediary element between the waveguide and the user's eye. It mediates the interaction between the large waveguide area and the user by selectively filtering light based on polarization state, allowing the system to maintain large area while reducing artifacts through the polarizing intermediary
2Object-generated harmful factors
If anti-reflective films and circular polarizers are added to reduce light artifacts, then user experience and see-through quality are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the circular polarizer and anti-reflective films only in specific regions where back reflections are most problematic, rather than uniformly across the entire waveguide. This localized application reduces the overall complexity while effectively addressing the reflection issues in critical areas
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple optical elements (circular polarizer, anti-reflective films, and waveguide) into a composite optical assembly. This composite structure integrates the functions of reflection reduction and light transmission in a unified system, managing complexity through material composition rather than separate 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
The solution effectively reduces light reflections, improving the user's experience by allowing clearer viewing of the real-world environment through augmented reality headsets.
Implementation Method 1
embodiments of the present invention utilize a circular polarizer, a visible color absorptive, anti-reflective film, or the like in order to reduce the light artifacts produced at high angles
Implementation Method 2
a visible color absorptive, anti-reflective film, or the like in order to reduce the light artifacts produced at high angles
Implementation Method 3
an optical absorber disposed adjacent the eyepiece and overlapping in plan view with a portion of the eyepiece
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented reality headset includes a frame and a plurality of eyepiece waveguide displays supported in the frame. Each of the plurality of eyepiece waveguide displays includes a projector and an eyepiece having a world side and a user side. The eyepiece includes one or more eyepiece waveguide layers, each of the one or more eyepiece waveguide layers including an in-coupling diffractive optical element and an out-coupling diffractive optical element. Each of the plurality of eyepiece waveguide displays also includes a first extended depth of field (EDOF) refractive element disposed adjacent the world side a dimmer assembly disposed adjacent the world side, a second EDOF refractive element disposed adjacent the user side, and an optical absorber disposed adjacent the eyepiece and overlapping in plan view with a portion of the eyepiece.