See-through Display Aberration Correction via Intermediary Optical Unit
Solution Overview
Problem
Current augmented reality and mixed reality display technologies face challenges in providing clear, aberration-free see-through displays, especially when integrating virtual information with real-world environments, due to off-axis aberrations generated by light coupling units.
Innovation Solution
A see-through type display device is designed with an image generation unit, a correction aberration generation unit, and a light coupling unit, where the correction aberration unit offsets off-axis aberrations, utilizing components like cylindrical lenses and holographic optical elements to minimize total aberration and enhance optical properties, allowing for a miniaturized and effective display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a light coupling unit is used to integrate virtual information with real-world environments, then augmented reality functionality is achieved, but off-axis aberrations are generated that degrade image quality
Solution Approach 1:
A correction aberration generation unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the image generation unit and the light coupling unit. This unit generates correction aberrations that are opposite to the off-axis aberrations produced by the light coupling unit, thereby compensating for image quality degradation while preserving augmented reality functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The correction aberration generation unit applies preliminary anti-action by generating correction aberrations in advance that counteract the harmful off-axis aberrations before they degrade the final image quality. This preemptive compensation approach maintains both AR functionality and image clarity
2Volume of moving object
If the display device is miniaturized for wearable applications, then portability and comfort are improved, but optical path length is reduced making aberration correction more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The correction aberration generation unit introduces a new dimensional approach to aberration correction by adding an additional optical component in the light path. This enables effective aberration compensation even in the constrained optical path lengths of miniaturized wearable devices
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is segmented into distinct functional units: image generation unit, correction aberration generation unit, and light coupling unit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling aberration correction in miniaturized configurations
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 provides a clear, aberration-reduced image that effectively overlays virtual information onto real-world environments, offering improved optical properties and a miniaturized form factor for augmented reality applications.
Implementation Method 1
a light coupling unit configured to generate off-axis aberration in the image light
Implementation Method 2
a correction aberration generation unit configured to generate correction aberration, opposite to the off-axis aberration, in the image light emitted from the image generation unit
Implementation Method 3
a light coupling unit configured to generate off-axis aberration in the image light
Implementation Method 4
a holographic optical element configured to generate a holographic image
Implementation Method 5
the light coupling unit may be configured to focus the image light
Implementation Method 6
The correction aberration generation unit may include a cylindrical lens
Implementation Method 7
the focusing unit is configured to focus the image light to provide a focused image light to the light coupling unit
Data Source
AI summary
A see-through type display device includes an image generation unit configured to emit image light, a light coupling unit configured to generate off-axis aberration in the image light, and a correction aberration generation unit configured to generate correction aberration, opposite to the off-axis aberration, in the image light emitted from the image generation unit, wherein the correction aberration generation unit is disposed on an optical path of the image light between the image generation unit and the light coupling unit, and wherein the light coupling unit is disposed off-axis relative to the image light.