Focus-Tunable Lens Visual Acuity Measurement in VR/AR Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing VR/AR devices do not effectively provide visual acuity correction for users with low visual acuity, necessitating the use of additional means like power clips, which are inconvenient.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method utilizing a focus-tunable lens with a display engine, image combiner, input device, storage, and processor to measure visual acuity by controlling optical powers in different lens regions, allowing for precise visual acuity determination through user input and electrode voltage application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a focus-tunable lens is used to provide VA correction function, then convenience is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconvenienceVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the VA correction function directly into the VR/AR device by integrating a focus-tunable lens within the optical system. This merging eliminates the need for separate power clips or external aids, allowing users to adjust focal distance conveniently while maintaining a unified device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The focus-tunable lens enables dynamic adjustment of focal distance within the optical system, allowing the VR/AR device to adapt to different visual acuity requirements. This dynamic capability replaces static correction methods with an adjustable, responsive system that maintains convenience while managing complexity through controlled variability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If multiple lens regions with different optical powers are assigned, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual acuity measurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lens surface is divided into multiple distinct lens regions, each assigned a different optical power value. This segmentation allows simultaneous presentation of multiple focal options across different regions, enabling precise visual acuity measurement by comparing user responses across segmented areas with varying optical properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the lens are assigned different optical powers tailored to specific measurement needs. This local quality approach ensures that each region contributes uniquely to the measurement process, with specific optical powers optimized for detecting different visual acuity levels, thereby improving measurement precision through spatially differentiated optical characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 convenient and accurate visual acuity measurement and correction by dynamically adjusting lens powers, addressing the inconvenience of external aids and enhancing user experience in VR/AR devices.

Implementation Method 1

the focus-tunable lens may include a first strip electrode liquid crystal lens and a second strip electrode liquid crystal lens

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid crystal effect: Liquid Crystals

Data Source

PatentEP4338656B1Apparatus and method for visual acuity measurement using varifocal lens
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4338656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4338656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4338656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an apparatus and method for measuring a visual acuity (VA) by using a focus-tunable lens. The apparatus includes a display engine, an image combiner, a focus-tunable lens provided on a path of the light guided by the image combiner, an input device, and a processor configured to control the focus-tunable lens to assign different first and second optical powers to first and second lens regions, respectively, on a lens surface of the focus-tunable lens, control the display engine to display a VA measuring image through first and second output regions of the image combiner, control the input device to receive a user's input with respect to the VA measuring image, specify one optical power of the first and second optical powers based on the user's input, and determine a VA of a user based on the specified optical power.