Near-Eye Display Using Tiled Pinlight Projectors for Wide Field of View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical see-through near-eye displays have a limited field of view, which results in synthetic images appearing cropped and disappearing as the user moves, and they often require complex optics that increase the size and cost of the display unit, making it difficult to achieve a compact and wide field of view.
Innovation Solution
A near-eye optical see-through display using a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a sparse array of point light sources, where the SLM modulates light from the point light sources to create a synthetic image that can be overlaid on the real scene, allowing for a wide field of view without the need for refractive or diffractive components, and using a tiled configuration of pinlight projectors to expand the field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional optical see-through displays use complex optics to achieve wide field of view, then field of view is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The display is divided into multiple pinlight projectors arranged in a tiled configuration, where each projector contributes a portion of the overall field of view. This segmentation allows the system to achieve a wide combined field of view (up to 110° diagonally) without requiring each individual optical element to be complex, thereby resolving the contradiction between field of view and device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional optical see-through displays use complex optics to achieve wide field of view, then field of view is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the display into multiple small pinlight projectors that can be tiled together, the system achieves a wide field of view without requiring large individual optical components. The segmented architecture allows for a more compact overall display unit compared to conventional approaches that would require large complex optics to achieve the same field of view.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional optical see-through displays are designed for wide field of view, then field of view is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tiled configuration of multiple pinlight projectors uses simpler, more manufacturable components compared to conventional wide field of view displays. This segmentation approach reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while achieving the desired wide field of view performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The pinlight projector design can be replicated and tiled to achieve the desired field of view, allowing for standardized manufacturing processes. This copying approach reduces tooling costs and enables more efficient production compared to custom complex optical systems.
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 wide field of view of up to 110° diagonally while maintaining a compact form factor, similar to ordinary eyeglasses, without the bulk and cost associated with complex optics, enabling seamless overlay of synthetic images on the real world.
Implementation Method 1
The spatial light modulator is located in the optical path between the point light sources and the eye. The spatial light modulator layer includes pixels that are controllable to modulate light from the point light sources such that light that impacts a user's eye has a desired intensity and color to display a synthetic image.
Implementation Method 2
Each pixel in the spatial light modulator layer modulates only a portion of the light emanating from the point light sources that enter the eye, such that the synthetic image appears to be in focus to the user's eye.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a near-eye optical see-through display. The display includes a backlight layer including a plurality of point light sources. The display further includes a spatial light modulator (SLM) layer for modulating light from the point light sources. The spatial light modulator is located in the optical path between the point light sources and a user's eye. The spatial light modulator layer includes pixels that are controllable to modulate light from the point light sources such that the light that impacts the user's eye has a desired intensity and color to display a synthetic image. At least a portion of the backlight layer and the spatial light modulator layer are optically transparent to allow a user to view a real scene through the spatial light modulator layer and the backlight layer such that the synthetic image appears to be overlaid on a view of the real scene. Each pixel in the spatial light modulator layer modulates only a portion of the light emanating from the point light sources such that the synthetic image appears to be in focus to the user's eye.