Near-Eye Display Aperture Array for Double Image Elimination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Head-mounted display devices face challenges in providing a wide field of view and user comfort due to the need for optical elements or waveguides that result in bulky designs, with issues like limited field of view and occlusion from the user's head, and existing solutions like Fresnel lenses or lenticular arrays fail to address these issues effectively, especially for near-eye applications.
Innovation Solution
A near-eye display system featuring a light source with pixels of 5 microns or less pitch and an aperture array with non-overlapping apertures centered on equilateral triangles, positioned between 2 mm and 5 mm from the light source, to selectively pass light without creating double images, combined with a lens array and standoff surface to enhance image focus and resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical elements or waveguides are used in head-mounted displays, then the device can provide display functionality, but the device becomes thicker and more bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes traditional optical elements (lenses, waveguides) from the display system and replaces them with a direct retinal projection approach using a laser source and scanning mirrors. This extraction of bulky optical components achieves the desired thinness while maintaining display functionality through direct retinal stimulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical optical systems (lenses, mirrors, waveguides) with a direct optical projection system that uses a laser source and electro-optical scanning. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical optical paths while achieving the same display function through direct retinal projection.
2Ease of operation
If a steerable micro-mirror is positioned in front of the eye, then the beam can be scanned, but the user's field of view is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a virtual image approach where the display content is projected to appear at a virtual distance from the eye. This creates a copy of the display content in virtual space, allowing the physical mirrors to be small while still providing a wide apparent field of view through the virtual image location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the field of view by utilizing the virtual distance dimension. By projecting images to a virtual location several meters away, the system effectively adds a spatial dimension that allows wide angular coverage without requiring large physical mirror surfaces in front of the eye.
3Volume of moving object
If a laser diode is mounted near the temple, then the device can be compact, but the mirroring surface must be strongly convex which is difficult to address for various pupil positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic eye tracking to monitor pupil position in real-time and dynamically adjusts the scanning parameters and beam direction accordingly. This dynamic adaptation allows a compact laser diode mounting position to accommodate various pupil positions and eye movements without requiring a strongly convex mirror surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses eye tracking feedback to detect pupil position and adjusts the scanning mirror control signals in response. This feedback mechanism enables the compact laser diode arrangement to adapt to different pupil positions, maintaining proper beam alignment without requiring complex mirror geometries.
4Length of stationary object
If Fresnel lenses are used, then the device can be thinner, but they are designed for viewers far away and do not work effectively for near-eye applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the Fresnel lens from the optical path entirely and replaces it with a direct retinal projection system. This extraction eliminates the fundamental mismatch between Fresnel lens design (for distant viewing) and near-eye application requirements, achieving both thinness and effective near-eye display performance.
5Adaptability or versatility
If lenticular lenses or lens arrays are used, then angular dependence and stereo effect can be provided, but the image becomes blurry at close viewing ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces lenticular lens arrays with a direct retinal projection system using laser scanning. This substitution eliminates the optical limitations of lenticular systems at close range while maintaining angular dependence through dynamic scanning control. The laser beam can be precisely directed to different retinal locations, providing both angular coverage and sharp imagery at near-eye distances.
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 system achieves a wide field of view and improved user comfort by avoiding double images and diffraction, enabling effective focus on near-eye displays without the bulkiness of traditional solutions, while maintaining high resolution and light intensity.
Implementation Method 1
The aperture array selectively passes the light emitted from the pixels to display the image without a double image condition
Implementation Method 2
combined with a lens array and standoff surface to enhance image focus and resolution
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and related methods for near-eye display of an image are provided. In one example, a near-eye display system includes a light source comprising a surface and a plurality of pixels having a pixel pitch of 5 microns or less. An aperture array is located between 2 mm and 5 mm from the surface of the light source. The aperture array comprises non-overlapping apertures that are each centered on a vertex of an equilateral triangle within a grid of equilateral triangles. The center of each aperture is spaced from the center of each adjacent aperture by an aperture spacing of between 1 mm and 9 mm. The aperture array selectively passes the light emitted from the pixels to display the image without a double image condition.