Microlens Display Panel for Wide-Field, Deep-Focus Virtual Images

The optical system is segmented into multiple microlenses arranged in an array, where each microlens processes a specific angular range of light. This segmentation allows the compact microlens structure to collectively provide a broader field of view by combining the contributions of multiple lens elements, each handling a portion of the total angular spectrum.

The patent extends the optical system from a single-plane microlens array to a multi-plane configuration with at least two microlens arrays positioned at different distances from the display panel. This dimensional extension in the optical path allows light from different angles to be properly focused and combined, thereby expanding the field of view while maintaining the compact form factor of individual microlenses.

The depth of field issue is addressed by segmenting the focusing function across multiple microlens arrays positioned at different planes. Each microlens array focuses light from a specific angular range to a corresponding focal point, and the superposition of these focused light paths creates an extended depth of field effect, allowing clear imaging over a larger axial range despite the compact thickness.

Multiple microlens arrays are nested along the optical axis at different positions relative to the display panel. This nested configuration allows each microlens array to contribute to the overall focusing function for different depth ranges, effectively nesting multiple focusing functions within a compact thickness to achieve extended depth of field.

Each microlens array in the multi-plane configuration serves multiple functions: it focuses light from its corresponding angular range, contributes to the extended depth of field, and participates in forming the complete virtual image when combined with other arrays. This multi-functionality of each component reduces the need for additional separate optical elements, thereby managing system complexity while achieving expanded field of view.

The patent merges the optical functions of multiple microlens arrays by positioning them in close proximity along the optical axis, allowing their light-focusing functions to be combined and superimposed. This merging approach creates a unified optical system where the cumulative effect of multiple arrays provides an expanded field of view without requiring a proportionally larger or more complex overall structure.