Dimming Panel Transmittance Control for Mixed Reality FOV Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
See-through near-eye mixed reality display devices experience non-uniform optical characteristics across the user's field-of-view due to varying transmittance in different display regions, leading to darker areas compared to others.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with multiple see-through portions, including a display region and non-overlapping or overlapping dimming panels, where the transmittance of these panels is controlled to be substantially the same, ensuring uniform optical characteristics across the entire field-of-view, using sensors to detect ambient light and adjust transmittance accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a see-through display region is used to display virtual imagery, then virtual images can be displayed within a portion of the user's field-of-view, but the display region causes non-uniform transmittance that makes some areas darker than others
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing a dimming panel with specific optical characteristics that selectively compensates for the transmittance reduction in the display region. The dimming panel is positioned to cover only the display region and has optical properties (transmittance, spectral characteristics) matched to compensate for the display region's attenuation effects, creating localized optical correction without affecting peripheral regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by using different optical characteristics for different regions of the optical path. The dimming panel has deliberately asymmetric optical properties relative to the display region - specifically designed with transmittance and spectral characteristics that are the inverse of the display region's attenuation characteristics, thereby compensating for non-uniformity through asymmetric optical design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the display region occupies only a portion of the field-of-view, then virtual imagery can be displayed, but non-uniformity occurs where some areas are darker than others
Solution Approach 1:
The dimming panel provides localized optical correction by being positioned specifically over the display region with optical characteristics tailored to compensate for that region's transmittance reduction. This local compensation maintains uniform optical characteristics across the entire FOV without requiring modification of the peripheral regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes optical parameters (transmittance, spectral characteristics) of the dimming panel to match and compensate for the display region's parameter deviations. By adjusting the dimming panel's optical parameters to be the inverse of the display region's attenuation parameters, uniform optical characteristics are achieved across different FOV regions.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple see-through portions with different transmittances are used to cover the entire FOV, then complete coverage is achieved, but uniform transmittance across the FOV is not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The dimming panel applies local quality compensation by having spatially varying optical characteristics that match the local transmittance requirements of different FOV regions. The panel's optical properties are tailored for each local area to ensure uniform overall transmittance while maintaining complete FOV coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves equipotentiality in optical terms by balancing the transmittance characteristics across all FOV regions. The dimming panel is designed with optical properties that equalize the light transmission potential across different regions, creating an optically uniform field despite using multiple see-through portions with initially different transmittances.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are display devices, and methods for use therewith. Such a device can be used to display one or more virtual images within a first see-through portion of the device, adjacent to which is a second see-through portion that does not overlap with the first see-through portion. The first and second see-through portions of the device collectively cover a substantially entire field-of-view (FOV) of a user. A transmittance (and/or other optical characteristic(s)) corresponding to the first see-through portion of the device and a transmittance (and/or other optical characteristic(s)) corresponding to the second see-through portion of the device can be caused (e.g., controlled) to be substantially the same to provide a substantially uniform transmittance (and/or other optical characteristic(s)) across the substantially entire FOV of a user. More generally, optical characteristics of see-through portions of the device can be controlled, e.g., by a user and/or through feedback.