Display Panel Quasi-Collimated Light Eye Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current head-mounted displays (HMDs) face challenges in concurrently rendering gaze contingent content and tracking user eye positions effectively, as existing technologies often suffer from optical interference between visible light for video output and invisible light for eye tracking, which affects the immersive virtual environment experience.
Innovation Solution
A display panel with a substrate featuring visible LEDs for quasi-collimated visible light output and invisible LEDs for eye tracking, where the quasi-collimated visible light prevents optical interference with the beam paths of invisible light, allowing for simultaneous video output and eye position tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If visible LEDs emit visible light for video output and invisible LEDs emit invisible light for eye tracking simultaneously, then concurrent video output and eye position tracking are achieved, but optical interference occurs between the two light paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the light emission and detection functions into separate spatial zones. Visible LEDs are positioned to emit light in one direction while invisible LEDs and detectors are positioned to emit and capture light in different directions, creating distinct optical paths that prevent interference while enabling concurrent operation of both visible video output and invisible eye tracking functions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different optical properties to different regions of the display panel. Specifically, certain regions use visible light emitting diodes with specific emission characteristics while other regions use invisible light emitting diodes and detectors with complementary filtering properties, allowing each region to optimize its function without interfering with other regions
2Illumination intensity
If visible light is used for video output, then immersive visual content is provided, but optical interference prevents accurate invisible light capture for eye tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical filters as intermediary elements between the visible and invisible light paths. These filters selectively transmit invisible light while blocking visible light, acting as a mediator that allows the invisible light detectors to capture eye tracking signals accurately without being saturated or interfered with by the brighter visible light used for video display
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the optical detection function by providing separate detection paths for visible and invisible light. The invisible light detectors are positioned and configured with specific filtering characteristics that enable them to selectively detect invisible light wavelengths while ignoring visible light, thus maintaining measurement precision for eye tracking independent of visible light intensity
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
Enables concurrent video output and accurate eye position tracking without interference, enhancing the immersive experience by dynamically adjusting content based on user gaze, reducing latency and improving real-time performance in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality applications.
Implementation Method 1
The visible LEDs transmit quasi-collimated visible light propagating away from the side of the substrate
Implementation Method 2
The invisible light emitted from the non-visible LEDs may be reflected off an eye of a viewer, and transmitted back toward the first surface for capture by the plurality of light detectors
Implementation Method 3
an epitaxial layer shaped into a mesa to reflect and collimate a portion of the visible light
Data Source
AI summary
A display panel for concurrent video output and eye position tracking. The display panel includes a substrate, a plurality of visible light emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned on a side of the substrate, and a plurality of light detectors positioned on the side of the substrate. The visible LEDs transmit quasi-collimated visible light propagating away from the side of the substrate. The light detectors capture invisible light propagating toward the side of the substrate, reflected from an eye of the user. In some embodiments, non-visible LEDs are formed on the side of the substrate. The visible LEDs, light detectors, and non-visible LEDs may be arranged to form pixels of the display panel. The quasi-collimated light emitted from the visible LEDs reduces spread into beam paths of the invisible light between the non-visible LEDs and the light detectors.