Mixed Reality Optics With Shared Waveguide and Uniform Light Output
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixed reality devices face challenges in efficiently combining virtual and augmented reality experiences while maintaining a compact and lightweight design, as they often require separate optical systems for each eye and do not effectively integrate external ambient light with virtual image information.
Innovation Solution
An optical system comprising projection apparatuses, a substrate layer, and a diffraction grating layer that uniformly distributes image light and allows for both virtual and ambient light to be incident into the user's eyes, utilizing a compact design with shared components for both eyes, and optionally incorporating a transflective element for enhanced light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate optical systems are used for each eye, then the visual experience for each eye is optimized, but the device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate optical systems for left and right eyes into a single integrated optical system. The projection apparatus projects image light that is incident on a substrate layer, and both left and right eyes receive optical signals through this shared system, eliminating the need for separate optical paths while maintaining visual quality for each eye.
Solution Approach 2:
The single optical system serves multiple functions by providing optical signals to both left and right eyes simultaneously. The substrate layer and diffraction grating layer work together to distribute image light to multiple output directions, enabling one system to perform the function previously requiring separate systems for each eye.
2Reliability
If virtual image information is presented without external ambient light, then virtual reality immersion is improved, but the device cannot provide augmented reality functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system creates different optical experiences for different regions. The diffraction grating layer is configured to diffract light at specific angles, creating a first optical signal for virtual reality immersion in one direction, while allowing external ambient light to pass through in other directions for augmented reality functionality. Each region of the optical system has optimized properties for its specific function.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a transflective element is added to enhance light transmission, then the light transmission efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transflective element utilizes optical properties to selectively transmit and reflect different wavelengths or directions of light. This element enhances the transmission of image light to the user's eyes while maintaining a relatively simple structural integration within the existing optical system framework.
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 achieves improved immersion and visual experience by integrating virtual and ambient light without increasing device size, providing a thinner, lighter, and more compact mixed reality device with better pupil continuity and image distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a diffraction grating layer disposed on at least one plane of the substrate layer and configured to diffract the two beams of image light
Implementation Method 2
two planes configured to totally reflect the two beams of the image light entering the substrate layer
Implementation Method 3
a transflective element disposed on an optical path where the target image light diffracted out of the diffraction grating layer is incident into the user's eyes and configured to reflect the target image light into the user's eyes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Provided are an optical system and a mixed reality device. The optical system includes a projection apparatus, a substrate layer and a diffraction grating layer. The projection apparatus is configured to project two beams of image light. The substrate layer has two side surfaces and two planes, where each of the two side surfaces is configured to receive a respective one of the two beams of the image light, and the two planes are configured to totally reflect each of the two beams of the image light entering the substrate layer. The diffraction grating layer is disposed on at least one plane of the substrate layer and is configured to diffract, in a reflective manner or a transmissive manner, the two beams of the image light propagating in the substrate layer, where energy of target image light diffracted out of the diffraction grating layer is uniformly distributed.