Optical Combiner With Colorant Elements for AR Color Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality devices using waveguide elements suffer from uneven brightness distribution and color dispersion due to differential diffraction angles and efficiencies across the color spectrum, leading to color fringing and distortion when displaying mixed colors, and ambient light interference causes further color distortions.
Innovation Solution
An optical combiner with a colorant element, such as transition metal or rare earth metal doped in the substrate, or colloid particles and molecules, absorbs specific wavelengths to adjust color balance, employing subtractive mixing principles to correct both virtual and real-world images, with gradient colorants for region-specific adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If waveguide elements are used in AR devices, then the device can guide and display images, but color dispersion and uneven brightness distribution occur due to differential diffraction angles and efficiencies across the color spectrum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing colorant elements at specific locations within the waveguide substrate. These colorant elements are positioned to selectively absorb excess wavelengths in regions where color dispersion occurs, creating non-uniform color correction across different areas of the waveguide to compensate for the differential diffraction effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color changes by incorporating colorant elements that selectively absorb specific wavelengths of light. These colorants modify the spectral composition of light passing through the waveguide, converting the problematic differential diffraction pattern into a more uniform color output by removing excess wavelengths that cause color fringing.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional color correction methods adjust the energy ratios of red, green, and blue light sources, then white light balance can be approximated, but overall brightness is significantly reduced due to the least efficient color component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by removing specific wavelength components from the light spectrum using colorant elements. Instead of reducing the intensity of all color components to balance the least efficient one, the invention selectively extracts (absorbs) the excess wavelengths that cause color imbalance, thereby maintaining overall brightness while achieving color correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the spectral composition of light through selective wavelength absorption. The colorant elements change the optical parameters of the transmitted light by absorbing specific wavelengths, thereby adjusting the color balance without uniformly reducing the intensity of all color components.
3Loss of energy
If high-transmittance optical elements are used to allow ambient light to pass through, then the optical elements maintain high transmission, but ambient light superimposes with AR image colors causing color distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by strategically placing colorant elements within the optical path to correct color distortions caused by ambient light. These colorant elements are positioned to selectively absorb specific wavelengths of the combined ambient and AR image light, creating localized color correction zones that maintain overall high transmission while improving color accuracy in specific spectral regions.
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 effectively addresses color distortion and uneven brightness, enhancing color saturation and immersion by balancing virtual and real-world colors, improving visual quality in augmented reality devices.
Implementation Method 1
the colorant element is configured to absorb light within at least one specific wavelength range
Implementation Method 2
different wavelengths of light are diffracted at varying angles and with different efficiencies due to the diffraction/holographic structures
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device includes an image projector and an optical combiner. The image projector is configured to emit image light. The optical combiner is disposed in an optical path of the image light. The optical combiner includes a colorant element. The colorant element is configured to absorb light within at least one specific wavelength range.