Image Display Optical System with Exit Pupil Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image display apparatuses face challenges in reducing the size and thickness of the optical system while providing a large viewable area, limiting the ability to view surrounding images due to smaller effective diameters and smaller viewable areas.
Innovation Solution
An image display apparatus with an optical system that forms identical images in each image forming region, using a lens array with optical elements corresponding to these regions, and ensuring a large exit pupil diameter to accommodate the viewer's eye movement, allowing a larger viewable area and reduced optical system thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the original image is divided into a plurality of pieces and displayed on multiple display units, then the effective diameters of the optical system sections are smaller, but the effective diameters of the optical system sections need to be greater than the exit pupil diameter to accommodate light beams from different images
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into multiple optical system sections, each corresponding to a display unit. Each section forms an exit pupil, and the exit pupils are arranged in an array. This segmentation allows each optical section to have a smaller effective diameter while the overall system provides a large combined viewable area through the array of exit pupils.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single exit pupil to an array of multiple exit pupils arranged in two dimensions. This dimensional change allows the system to provide a large viewable area without requiring each individual optical section to have a large diameter, thus resolving the contradiction between small optical section size and large exit pupil requirement.
2Measurement precision
If microlens array with lenses corresponding to respective pixels is used to provide magnified view, then the width of light beam from each microlens is small, but the viewable area becomes small and viewer cannot view surrounding images
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single microlens array that limits the viewable area, the patent segments the optical system into multiple optical system sections, each with its own exit pupil. The array of exit pupils collectively provides a large viewable area while each section maintains the magnification function, allowing viewers to see both magnified images and surrounding areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: each optical system section provides magnification of the displayed image while the array of multiple exit pupils collectively provides a large viewable area. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between achieving magnification and maintaining a large viewable area.
3Length of stationary object
If the optical system is reduced in size and thickness, then the viewable area decreases, but the invention aims to maintain large viewable area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent arranges multiple exit pupils in a two-dimensional array, transitioning from a single large exit pupil to multiple smaller exit pupils distributed across space. This dimensional arrangement allows the optical system to be reduced in thickness while the collective array of exit pupils maintains a large overall viewable area, as the viewer can move their eye across the array to access different regions.
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 enables a larger viewable area, allowing the viewer to see surrounding images even with eye movement, while reducing the optical system's size and thickness, and maintaining high optical performance with a large angle of view and exit pupil diameter.
Implementation Method 1
a magnified virtual image is formed through two planar half-silvered mirrors corresponding to the respective display units and a common concave mirror
Implementation Method 2
a magnified virtual image is formed through two planar half-silvered mirrors corresponding to the respective display units and a common concave mirror
Implementation Method 3
illumining pixels through a barrier element and a microlens array having lenses corresponding to respective pixels of the image in the original image forming unit
Data Source
AI summary
An image display apparatus includes an original image forming unit configured to form an identical image in each of image forming regions, and an optical system including optical elements corresponding to the respective image forming regions and configured to form exit pupils corresponding to the image forming regions each displaying the identical image.