Lens Array for AR Headset Perspective Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video see-through augmented reality head-mounted devices suffer from a mismatch in Inter-pupillary distance due to scene cameras being mounted anterior, superior, or lateral to the eyes, leading to issues like double vision, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, nausea, and fatigue, as well as incorrect perceived distance and scale of objects.
Innovation Solution
A novel thin lens system with an array of camera elements, each containing camera optics called lenslets and a sensor, where the entrance pupils of the lens elements are positioned to match the eye's optical system entrance pupil, allowing for a wide-angle image formation with non- or slightly-overlapping field-of-views, reducing the bulkiness and improving perspective alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If scene cameras are mounted anterior, superior, or lateral to the eyes, then video see-through functionality is achieved, but Inter-pupillary distance mismatch occurs causing double vision, blurred vision, dizziness, headache, nausea, and fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the imaging function into multiple independent lens elements arranged in an array, where each lens element captures a portion of the scene. This segmentation allows the system to achieve a wide field of view while maintaining proper perspective by positioning each lens element's optical axis through the eye's entrance pupil, thereby eliminating IPD mismatch and physiological discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary system consisting of lens elements with adjustable optical paths. These lens elements act as mediators between the scene and the image sensor, allowing light to be redirected through the eye's entrance pupil. This intermediary optical path correction enables proper perspective alignment and eliminates the harmful effects of camera mounting position on user comfort.
2Ease of operation
If scene cameras are placed lateral to the eyes, then video see-through is enabled, but Incorrect Inter-pupillary distance creates mismatch leading to double vision and blurred vision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the imaging system by introducing lens elements with specific focal lengths and optical paths. By adjusting these optical parameters, the system can compensate for the physical displacement of cameras from the eye position, achieving accurate IPD alignment and eliminating double vision and blurred vision while maintaining video see-through capability.
3Ease of operation
If scene cameras are placed superior or anterior to the eyes, then video see-through functionality is achieved, but perspective translation with head movement becomes exaggerated creating incorrect motion parallax
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic optical correction system where lens elements can adjust their optical paths in response to head movement. This dynamic adjustment maintains proper perspective alignment during head motion, preventing exaggerated perspective translation and incorrect motion parallax while preserving video see-through functionality.
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 mitigates physiological discomfort and improves the perceived distance and scale of objects, reducing motion parallax and eliminating double or blurred vision, making the system more comfortable for users.
Implementation Method 1
a lens (compound or simple) having an object-side surface configured to face the scene and an image-side surface antipodal to the object-side surface
Implementation Method 2
an image sensor located on the image-side surface side of the lens and separate therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes a novel lens system having an entrance pupil at a location matching, or nearly matching, the eye's optical system entrance pupil. The described lens system is significantly thinner than a single-aperture lens with matched entrance pupil and is achieved by using an array of camera elements. Each camera element contains camera optics called “lenslets” and a sensor (e.g., an image or depth sensor), where a lenslet can include one or more lens elements (e.g., a compound lens). Individual camera elements can be arranged such that THEIR optical axes intersect at, or near, the eye's entrance pupil location. In addition, each camera element's field-of-view (FOV) corresponds to a small sector of a large FOV. The FOVs of adjacent camera elements can be non- or slightly-overlapping so that a wide-angle image can be formed by concatenation of the individual camera element images.