Segmented Head-Wearable Display Collimating Optical System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Head-wearable display devices for augmented reality applications face challenges in achieving a large exit pupil while minimizing image aberrations, as the small distance between pixel elements and optical elements leads to strong aberrations, affecting the perception of superimposed information.
Innovation Solution
The use of a head-wearable display device with multiple display segments and a collimating optical system, where each display segment has its own collimating optical elements, and a controllable beam steering material to direct sub-image portions towards the exit pupil, reducing aberrations and increasing the exit pupil size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the optical elements of the collimating optical system are made large to achieve a large exit pupil, then the exit pupil size is improved, but the distance between pixel elements and optical elements becomes smaller leading to stronger aberrations
Solution Approach 1:
The display device divides the display area into multiple display segments, with each segment having its own dedicated collimating optical elements. This segmentation allows each optical element to be optimized for its specific segment while collectively providing a large exit pupil, and reduces the harmful interaction between closely spaced pixel elements and optical elements by spatial separation through the segmented architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements different pixel distances within and between segments (intra-segment pixel distance vs. inter-segment pixel distance), creating local quality variations. This allows the optical system to be optimized locally for each segment, managing the trade-off between exit pupil size and aberration control by having different spatial configurations in different regions of the display.
2Volume of moving object
If the pixel elements are arranged close to the optical elements to reduce device size, then the device compactness is improved, but the small f-number causes strong aberrations of the artificial image
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the display into multiple sections with dedicated optical elements for each segment, the system can maintain a compact overall form factor while each local segment has optimized spacing between its pixel elements and optical elements. This prevents the small f-number problem from affecting the entire display while keeping the device compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges display segments and their associated optical elements in a distributed spatial configuration rather than a simple planar arrangement. This multi-dimensional spatial distribution allows the system to achieve compactness in one dimension while maintaining adequate spacing in other dimensions to avoid strong aberrations.
3Device complexity
If a single large collimating optical element is used for the entire display, then the device complexity is reduced, but the exit pupil size is limited and positioning inaccuracies affect image quality
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single large collimating optical element, the patent divides the optical system into multiple smaller elements, each associated with a specific display segment. This segmentation increases the overall exit pupil size by distributing the optical function across multiple elements, and reduces sensitivity to positioning inaccuracies since each segment has its own dedicated optical elements rather than relying on a single large element.
Solution Approach 2:
While segmented, the multiple collimating optical elements work together in unison to collectively provide the full display image with an enlarged exit pupil. The segmented elements are merged in their optical function to achieve the combined benefit of large exit pupil and reduced positioning sensitivity.
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 configuration allows for a larger exit pupil with reduced aberrations, ensuring that the user can see the artificial image clearly even with slight changes in viewing direction, and can enhance the resolution and focus of the displayed image.
Implementation Method 1
a collimating optical system disposed on the see-through member to direct the sub-image portions towards an exit pupil of the display device, wherein the collimating optical system includes, in relation to each of the plurality of display segments, a respective plurality of collimating optical elements each configured to direct the sub-image portion emitted by the associated display segment towards the exit pupil with substantially the same direction
Implementation Method 2
a controllable beam steering material to direct sub-image portions towards the exit pupil, reducing aberrations and increasing the exit pupil size
Data Source
AI summary
A head-wearable display device is provided, which includes: a see-through member providing a transparent see-through area; a plurality of more than two display segments to emit sub-image portions of a display image, the plurality of display segments disposed on the see-through member in a manner distributed across a display area of the see-through member, each of the plurality of display segments comprising a plurality of pixel elements, wherein an intra-segment pixel distance is smaller than an inter-segment pixel distance; and a collimating optical system disposed on the see-through member to direct the sub-image portions towards an exit pupil of the display device, wherein the collimating optical system includes, in relation to each of the plurality of display segments, a respective plurality of collimating optical elements each configured to direct the sub-image portion emitted by the associated display segment towards the exit pupil with substantially the same direction.