Head-Mounted Display Optics for Polarization-Efficient 3D Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Head mount display devices suffer from reduced light efficiency due to the use of polarizers, which impede the effective transmission of polarized light.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a specific optical system comprising curved lenses and retarders with controlled retardation axes, along with reflective and absorptive polarizers, to manage light polarization and transmission efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a polarizer is used in the head mount display device, then light polarization control is achieved, but light efficiency is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is segmented into multiple functional components: a first curved lens with a first retarder for circular-to-linear polarization conversion, a beam splitter for light path separation, and a second curved lens with a second retarder and reflective polarizer for final polarization control. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function, collectively achieving high light efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
Retarders are introduced as intermediary elements between the light emitting element and the polarizers. These retarders convert circularly polarized light from the display panel into linearly polarized light, serving as a mediator that enables efficient interaction with subsequent polarizing components and reduces overall system complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple polarizing components are used to improve light efficiency, then image brightness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beam splitter serves multiple functions: it separates light paths for different eyes, redirects reflected light back through the optical system, and works in conjunction with the reflective polarizer to achieve both image display and light efficiency improvement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, managing complexity while maintaining brightness enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed to continuously recycle and redirect light through multiple passes. The reflective polarizer reflects unpolarized light back through the retarders and beam splitter, ensuring continuous useful action of light until it achieves the desired polarization state, thereby improving brightness without requiring excessive individual components.
3Device complexity
If conventional polarizer configuration is used, then device structure is simple, but light efficiency and three-dimensional display quality are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the polarization state parameters of light through controlled interaction with retarders and polarizers. By systematically transforming circular polarization to linear polarization and controlling the orientation angles of polarizing axes, the system achieves high light efficiency (up to 50% improvement) while maintaining a structured optical configuration suitable for three-dimensional display.
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
This configuration enhances light efficiency by up to 50% compared to conventional systems, improving image brightness and reducing ghost images, thereby enhancing user immersion and three-dimensional display quality.
Implementation Method 1
The third retarder may have a first retardation axis, and may retard light in a direction of the first retardation axis by λ/4 to change linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light or change circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light.
Implementation Method 2
The first reflective polarizer of the display panel may have a first reflective axis, may reflect polarized light of the first reflective axis, and may transmit polarized light perpendicular to the first reflective axis
Implementation Method 3
The first reflective polarizer of the display panel may have a first reflective axis, may reflect polarized light of the first reflective axis, and may transmit polarized light perpendicular to the first reflective axis
Implementation Method 4
The absorptive polarizer of the display panel may have an absorptive axis, may absorb polarized light of the absorptive axis, and may transmit polarized light perpendicular to the absorptive axis
Implementation Method 5
The beam splitter of the first curved lens may reflect half of incident light, and may transmit the other half of the incident light
Implementation Method 6
a first curved lens, which is positioned to face the display panel, and includes a first retarder positioned on a first surface thereof facing the display panel
Data Source
AI summary
A head mount display device, includes: a display panel; and an optical system positioned in front of the display panel. The display panel sequentially includes a light emitting element part, a third retarder, a reflective polarizer, and an absorptive polarizer, where the third retarder is positioned in front of the light emitting element part; and the optical system includes: a first curved lens, which is positioned to face the display panel, and includes a first retarder positioned on a first surface facing the display panel and a beam splitter positioned on a second surface thereof opposite to the first surface; and a second curved lens, which is positioned to face the beam splitter, and includes a second retarder positioned a first surface thereof facing the beam splitter and a second reflective polarizer positioned on a second surface thereof opposite to the first surface of the second curved lens.