Digital Aberration Correction in VR Headsets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VR/AR systems face challenges in achieving high image quality while maintaining a low weight, small footprint, and low cost, due to inherent optical aberrations in lightweight HMD lenses, which compromise the user experience.
Innovation Solution
A digital lens based on a non-blind deconvolution approach is applied for real-time electronic optical aberration correction, utilizing eye-tracking data and pre-calculated optical system profiles to improve image quality without adding complex optical elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If lightweight HMD lenses are used to reduce weight and cost, then weight and manufacturing cost are reduced, but optical aberrations increase and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/optical correction systems with a digital processing system. A camera captures the optical aberrations introduced by the lightweight lens, and a processor digitally corrects these aberrations by comparing the captured image with a reference image, thereby eliminating the need for heavy, precision-corrected optical elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of optical aberration correction from a physical/optical domain to a digital/data domain. By capturing aberration parameters through a camera and processing them digitally, the system transforms the correction mechanism from mechanical precision to computational processing
2Manufacturing precision
If complex optical elements are added to correct aberrations, then image quality improves, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes complex optical correction elements with a digital processing approach. Instead of adding more lenses, prisms, or optical compensators, the system uses a camera to capture aberrations and a processor to digitally correct them, dramatically simplifying the optical system while maintaining correction effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the optical aberration pattern by capturing it with a camera. This digital replica is then processed and used to generate correction data, replacing the need for physical optical copying or compensation mechanisms
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional low-cost components are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but optical aberrations increase and image quality worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful optical aberrations introduced by low-cost lenses into useful information. By capturing these aberrations with a camera and processing them digitally, the system transforms what would be a defect into a correctable parameter, allowing low-cost components to achieve high-quality results
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces precision mechanical manufacturing requirements with digital processing capabilities. Instead of requiring expensive, precision-manufactured optical elements, the system uses standard low-cost components paired with computational correction, shifting the quality assurance from manufacturing to processing
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual/augmented reality head-mounted display system and method with means to correct optical aberrations is disclosed. The system includes the initial profiling of the head-mounted display system and eye-tracking means.