Waveguide Display Apparatus for Compact Image Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display apparatus for wearable electronic devices, such as smart watches and head-mounted displays, face limitations in providing both image acquisition and control input without increasing cost or volume, as they require separate input and image capturing components, which complicates miniaturization and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A display apparatus incorporating a light path converting component with a collimating unit and waveguide unit to create a virtual image of larger size, combined with an image acquiring component that receives external light via the waveguide unit, allowing for image acquisition and control input while maintaining a compact form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate input component and image capturing component are added to LOE display apparatus, then image acquisition and control input functions are achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide unit serves dual functions: as a light guide for display and as an optical path for image acquisition. By making the waveguide unit universal, the patent eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for image capture, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the display light path and image acquiring light path by using the same waveguide unit for both purposes. This consolidation combines multiple functions into a single structural element, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the device architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate input component and image capturing component are added to LOE display apparatus, then image acquisition and control input functions are achieved, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide unit serves dual functions: as a light guide for display and as an optical path for image acquisition. By making the waveguide unit universal, the patent eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for image capture, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the display light path and image acquiring light path by using the same waveguide unit for both purposes. This consolidation combines multiple functions into a single structural element, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the device architecture.
3Manufacturing precision
If display apparatus provides image or video display with larger size and higher resolution, then display quality improves, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical path extension through the waveguide unit to project the display image to a larger virtual image position. This dimensional transformation allows the physical display component to remain small while the perceived display size increases, resolving the contradiction between display size and device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide unit creates a virtual image that is a copy of the display component output but enlarged in size. This optical copying mechanism allows the system to present a larger display appearance without physically increasing the display component or device size.
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
Enables image or video display with larger size and higher resolution without increasing the device's size or cost, while enabling concurrent image acquisition and control input, enhancing user experience and device functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a collimating unit configured to collimate the displaying light into collimated light
Implementation Method 2
a waveguide unit configured to exit the collimated light to form a virtual image at a predetermined position
Data Source
AI summary
A display apparatus and an electronic device are described. The display apparatus includes a display component configured to output displaying light corresponding to a first image and a light path converting component configured to perform light path conversion on the displaying light. The light path converting component unit includes a collimating unit and a waveguide unit. The collimating unit is configured to collimate the displaying light into collimated light, and lead the collimated light into the waveguide unit. The waveguide unit is configured to exit the collimated light to form a virtual image at a predetermined position, with a size of the virtual image being greater than a display size of the display component. An image acquiring component is configured to receive photographing light from external side of the display apparatus via at least part of the waveguide unit to obtain a second image corresponding to the photographing light.