Programmable Phase Map Near-Eye Display for Compact Optical Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional near-eye displays are bulky and inefficient due to the need for precise optical components and high power consumption, which complicates their manufacturing and usage in applications requiring reduced form factor and improved optical fidelity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a programmable phase map that adjusts the phase of light waves to form images directly on the retina, eliminating the need for bulky optical relays and utilizing a two-dimensional waveguide to guide illumination light, thereby reducing bulk and power consumption while maintaining image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional optical components (lenses and mirrors) are used in near-eye displays, then image relay functionality is achieved, but device bulk and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the image relay optical components (lenses and mirrors) from the conventional near-eye display system. By using a micro-display positioned directly in the pupil plane, the system removes the need for separate image relay optics while maintaining image fidelity through direct retinal projection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical optical relay system with a computational approach using a microlens array and direct retinal projection. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical alignment and positioning requirements while achieving the same image relay function through optical field manipulation.
2Reliability
If precise optical components are used to maintain image fidelity, then manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the image relay optical components from the system, the patent eliminates the need for high-precision manufacturing of lenses and mirrors. The micro-display and microlens array operate with relaxed tolerances compared to conventional precision optics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the optical system by positioning the micro-display in the pupil plane and using a microlens array with specific focal lengths. This parameter change allows the system to achieve image fidelity with lower manufacturing precision requirements compared to conventional designs.
3Reliability
If conventional image relay optics are used, then power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the power-hungry image relay optical components from the system. By using a micro-display with direct retinal projection through a microlens array, the system reduces power consumption while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The microlens array in the pupil plane performs the image relay function passively through its optical structure, eliminating the need for active power consumption in image relay components. The system uses the natural optical properties of the microlens array to achieve image formation.
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
This approach allows for the creation of lightweight, efficient near-eye displays that can generate high-quality images without the need for complex optical relays, improving user experience and reducing manufacturing costs by leveraging phase modulation to form images directly on the retina.
Implementation Method 1
a programmable phase map that adjusts the phase of light waves to form images directly on the retina
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a two-dimensional waveguide to guide illumination light
Data Source
AI summary
A near-eye display including a light source, an optical system, and a phase map including multiple pixels. The optical system is configured to receive illumination light from the light source and output the illumination light as an in-phase wavefront. Control logic of the near-eye display is coupled to variously program different phase patterns of the phase map at different times. The phase patterns are each to variously adjust phases of respective portions of the in-phase wavefront. For each of the phase patterns, the phase map is to form a different respective image in response to being illuminated by the in-phase wavefront.